Ulster provide Christmas cheer in big win over Racing

A much-improved Ulster recorded a much-needed victory over Top14 leaders Racing 92 in the second round of the Investec Champions Cup.

Seventh in the United Rugby Championship, and coming off the back of three straight losses, including last week's heavy defeat at Bath, Dan McFarland's men needed a performance, and they delivered.

Despite an early try, it took a while for Ulster to gain the upper hand but once they did they never looked back and had a bonus point wrapped up at the start of the second half.

An ill-disciplined Racing side had Springbok World Cup winners Siya Kolisi and Trevor Nyakane in their pack but Ulster’s South Africa prop Steven Kitshoff outshone both of his international team-mates.

The result gets the 1999 champions up and running in Europe with five points in Pool 2 and provides a big boost ahead of the visit of Connacht next weekend.

It was the strangest of first halves that was riddled with mistakes but despite losing five of their own lineouts, missing a penalty kick to touch, getting turned over at the breakdown multiple times, Ulster held what was a deserved 21-5 lead going in at the break.

They got off to a bright start with Tom O'Toole, James Hume and Kitshoff all making ground with ball in hand.

That led to a close-range penalty that allowed Ulster to work a pre-planned tap move that quickly turned into a maul and Nick Timoney emerged with the ball for the opening try in the third minute.

The visitors looked dangerous with ball in hand and twice broke through the Ulster line before spilling the ball forward, Nolann Le Garrec and Gael Fickou the culprits.

Stuart Lancaster’s side thought they had scored when Le Garrec touched down in the 31st minute but the TMO spotted an obstruction on O’Toole in the