Clermont Auvergne 19 - 15 Ulster: Ulster face away tie after Clermont leapfrog to top

Ulster will be playing away from home in the Heineken Cup quarter-finals after Clermont Auvergne leapfrogged them at the top of Pool Four with a narrow win. The Irish province were already assured a place in the last eight as one of the best runners-up following surprise defeats for Harlequins and Toulouse on Friday night.

A win would have seen Ulster top the pool, but Ulster will be on the road in the quarter-finals for the second year in succession.

Ulster had beaten Clermont 16-11 at Ravenhill in November but the French side are a different proposition at home and they had Brian McLaughlin’s men on the back foot inside the opening minute.

Wesley Fofana swept around two Ulstermen and found Aurelien Rougerie supporting on the right wing. With men over, a try looked certain but mercifully for the visitors the Clermont captain’s difficult return pass was adjudged to be forward.

Momentum looked set to swing the home side’s way again when Ulster were penalised and Parra converted a penalty quickly.

Ulster captain Johann Muller was leading by example in the lineout, though, and when he was dragged to the ground illegally, his South African compatriot Pienaar levelled things up.

Parra punished another infringement at scrum-time to push the hosts in front again. .

Pienaar then missed a difficult penalty attempt but he was given another chance after 32 minutes, and this time his strike was true.

A huge push by the Ulster pack saw them win a penalty on a Clermont scrum as Pienaar put Ulster ahead for the first time, six minutes into the second half. The home side responded by introducing Vincent Debaty and Brock James and they were rewarded instantly as Parra punished another Ulster infringement.

Pienaar kicked Ulster ahead again on 57 minutes but replacement hooker Paulo burrowed over following a sustained period of Clermont pressure on the Ulster line. Referee Dave Pearson and his assistants missed a blatant block by Hines on Chris Henry during the move, which made it easier for Paulo to rumble over.

Parra converted to put Clermont 16-12 in front. Pienaar replied but Parra got the final score with four minutes left, stretching Clermont’s brilliant unbeaten record at home to 37 matches.