Ulster crash out of Champions Cup after Harlequins defeat

Ulster's hopes of reaching the Investec Champions Cup knockout stages are over.

Harlequins produced the ultimate smash-and-grab victory to register a 47-19 win over Ulster that keeps them in the chase for home advantage in the Investec Champions Cup knockout phase and condemned the province to an early exit.

Louis Lynagh claimed two of four tries scored against the run of play at The Stoop, his first a sensational solo score that started on his own 22 and left four beaten tacklers in his wake.

It needed the stars to align for Lynagh to even get on the pitch as only an injury-enforced reshuffle hours before kick-off created a vacancy on the bench that he filled until Oscar Beard limped off in the 17th minute.

He took his chance beautifully, issuing a reminder of his finishing skills with Nick David and Danny Care also tormenting an Ulster side that had otherwise dominated.

By the time David, Andre Esterhuizen and Will Evans ran in additional tries, the Irish province were a spent force knowing the win they needed to progress was out of reach.

There was mixed news for England with Joe Marler lasting 40 minutes in his comeback from a biceps injury ahead of the Six Nations, but Beard was in obvious discomfort when he limped off in the opening quarter.

Quins need events elsewhere to go their way if they are to play their round-of-16 match in south west London, but the points avalanche in their final pool outing has strengthened their cause.

It looked an unlikely outcome as Ulster took early control of the game only to allow David to touch down from a quickly-taken line-out by Esterhuizen, who capitalised on the visitors’ loss of concentration.

Ulster launched consecutive raids originating inside their own half with one