Bordeaux Begles’ demolition of the Cell C Sharks in their final European Champions Cup Pool 1 game has allowed Ulster to sneak through to the knockout stages where they will take on the tournament’s top seeds.
The result means Richie Murphy’s side will travel to Bordeaux on the weekend of 4/5/6 April for a daunting round-of-16 tie.
Ulster won just one of their four Pool 1 games – a Cormac Izuchukwu hat-trick inspiring the province to a 52-24 hammering of Exeter Chiefs on Friday night – but knew that a favour from Bordeaux would earn a European reprieve.
Level with the Sharks in the standings, Murphy’s side needed Bordeaux to win by more than 28 points at Stade Chaban Delmas, while denying the…