Ulster storm into Challenge Cup final after Exeter lose England star early

Ulster booked an EPCR Challenge Cup final place after brushing aside Exeter 29-12 following a dominant display in Belfast.

Iain Henderson’s team will tackle Montpellier or the Dragons in Bilbao on May 22, and the Chiefs could have few complaints.

They were unable to crack a resilient and well-organised Ulster side, comfortably finishing second-best as their opponents made the most of home advantage.

Former Northampton number eight Juarno Augustus, fly-half Jack Murphy, flanker Dave McCann and hooker Tom Stewart scored tries, with scrum-half Nathan Doak adding a penalty and three conversions.

Exeter replied through tries for number eight Ross Vintcent and wing Campbell Ridl, plus one Henry Slade conversion, but Ulster effortlessly eased away from them during the second period.

Doak drifted a 10th-minute penalty attempt wide, and while Ulster remained on the front foot they then saw a try disallowed after full-back Mike Lowry crossed, being ruled out for foul play earlier in the move.

Exeter should have been 10 points down, such was Ulster’s profligacy, although Chiefs then wasted their first scoring chance as a Slade penalty missed the target and ended a scoreless opening quarter.

Ulster continued to press, and the deadlock was broken 12 minutes before half-time when they were rewarded for patient work by their forwards, with Augustus touching down and Doak converting.

Exeter could not get their attacking game going, but Ulster then saw wing Jacob Stockdale yellow-carded following head-on-head contact with Chiefs’ England star Immanuel Feyi-Waboso.

Feyi-Waboso departed for a head injury assessment, and Exeter immediately made their temporary numerical advantage count by drawing level as Ulster regrouped courtesy of a Vintcent score and Slade conversion.

Exeter’s hopes of inflicting further punishment before the break were dashed, though, and Doak nudged Ulster into a 10-7 interval lead through a short-range penalty.

Feyi-Waboso did not return for the second half, with Chiefs soon falling further behind following some sharp work from Ulster’s attack near their line that resulted in a try for Murphy.

Doak’s conversion opened up a 10-point advantage, putting the ball firmly in Exeter’s court for a response, yet Ulster continued to control possession and territory.

And they gained a fitting reward after strong work by replacement wing Ethan McIlroy, whose pace stretched Exeter’s defence and set up a try for McCann.

It left Exeter 15 points adrift entering the final quarter, but Ulster had no intention of taking their foot off the accelerator and Stewart claimed try number four after a powerful close-range maul with try number four.

Exeter’s miserable evening then reached a suitably fitting conclusion when full-back Ben Hammersley was yellow carded, leaving them emphatically down and out.