Dan McFarland hails Ulster triumph but warns Toulouse still lethal

Ulster head coach Dan McFarland was understandably delighted with his team's performance in their 26-20 victory over Toulouse but warned his players they would have to improve for the return fixture in Belfast next week.

The Irish province ran in four tries to two in their Heineken Champions Cup round-of-16 first-leg tie in front of a packed house at Stadium de Toulouse, with winger Robert Baloucoune running in a hat-trick.

"I think we could have taken a larger points difference," McFarland said. "But I’m not sure anyone wouldn’t take a six-point lead from Toulouse.

"We were playing Toulouse in Toulouse. We created opportunities in that game to score tries. For chunks of that game, we were really good."

But McFarland warned that Ulster’s slender advantage could be wiped out "in 15 seconds" of the second leg at the Kingspan next week if the defending champions hit their stride.

"They are Toulouse," he said, after the French side repeatedly stretched the visitors’ defence, even after they were reduced to 14 after just 10 minutes of a frenetic, pulsating match.

"They are the champions of Europe, champions of the Top 14, and they have got some of the best players in the world.

"We’re going to have to be a lot better next week. Six points to Toulouse is nothing. It’s 15 seconds of brilliance. We’re going to have to be on our game."

Juan Cruz Mallia was sent-off for taking out Ben Moxham in the air as the match was clicking into gear. After treatment, the Ulster winger got back to his feet but was taken off the pitch for an HIA and did not return.

"He says he feels fine," McFarland added. "You go through the protocols. We’ll monitor him today and tomorrow and go through the protocols during the week."

Toulouse captain Antoine Dupont