The final scoreline suggests a dominant display in Belfast, but the path to a 29-12 victory began with several missed opportunities. For much of the opening quarter, Ulster played a dangerous game of profligacy, wasting opportunities that should have put the match out of reach early. A 10th-minute penalty attempt from Nathan Doak drifted wide, and a try by full-back Mike Lowry was disallowed due to foul play earlier in the move. According to RTE, the Chiefs could have been 10 points down in those early stages had Ulster been more clinical.
The tension shifted when Jacob Stockdale received a yellow card for head-on-head contact with Exeter’s Immanuel Feyi-Waboso. The incident forced Feyi-Waboso from the field for a head injury assessment and gave the Chiefs a temporary numerical advantage. Exeter capitalized immediately, drawing level through a Ross Vintcent score and a Henry Slade conversion. This period of play saw the visitors capitalize on the man advantage, forcing Ulster to regroup while playing with fourteen men.
A recovery built on heart and gameplan
The turnaround began as Ulster focused on their tactical execution. Ulster regained the lead just before the interval when patient work from the forwards allowed number eight Juarno Augustus to touch down, a score Nathan Doak converted. A subsequent short-range penalty from Doak pushed the interval lead to 10-7, stabilizing a match that had momentarily slipped.
For Augustus, the victory was about more than just the tactical execution on the pitch. Named player of the match, the number eight spoke to BBC about the psychological weight the squad had carried leading into the semi-final. While the specific nature of the challenges faced by the team remains unspecified in available reporting, Augustus noted that the squad had endured a tough two weeks before today
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“I’m just happy we won, we had a tough two weeks before today but we managed to scrap in and focus on today and we got the win. We’re just thankful for it,” Juarno Augustus, Ulster Number Eight
Ulster then effortlessly eased away in the second half. Where the first period was marked by errors, the second was an exercise in control. Ulster’s ability to absorb the pressure and then accelerate away from the Chiefs reflected a squad that had moved past its recent adversity. Augustus attributed the result to a collective belief in the team’s strategy.
“We knew if we back our gameplan, we could go far in this competition. We showed it today, we played with heart and it pulled it off today.” Juarno Augustus, Ulster Number Eight
Exeter’s struggle to penetrate the Belfast defense
Before the match, Exeter Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter had anticipated a physical encounter. Speaking via the Exeter Chiefs official channels, Baxter noted that Ulster would likely seek to boss large areas of the game. He expressed an expectation that his side would set a high level of intensity to ensure a competitive encounter.
“Ulster will certainly be expecting to set the physicality of the game early. They will think they can boss large areas of the game but my expectation is that we will turn up and set a different level of intensity at the start of the game to make it a very competitive encounter.” Rob Baxter, Exeter Chiefs Director of Rugby
Despite that intent, the Chiefs found themselves unable to crack a resilient and well-organized Ulster defense. After the first-half surge, Exeter’s attacking game stalled. They were unable to respond as Ulster began to dictate both possession and territory. The gap widened shortly after the restart when sharp work near the Exeter line resulted in a try for fly-half Jack Murphy, with Doak’s conversion extending the lead to 10 points.
The Chiefs’ frustrations mounted as Ulster continued to apply pressure. Replacement wing Ethan McIlroy used his pace to stretch the Exeter line, creating the space for flanker Dave McCann to score. By the time the final quarter arrived, Exeter trailed by 15 points. The match reached a definitive conclusion when Ulster hooker Tom Stewart claimed a fourth try following a powerful close-range maul. The evening ended with Exeter full-back Ben Hammersley receiving a yellow card, leaving the visitors emphatically defeated.
The final ascent to Bilbao
The victory in Belfast allows Ulster to progress to the final of the competition. For the players, the result is the culmination of a grueling season of qualification and high-stakes knockout rugby. The transition from the early struggles of the first half to the ease of the closing stages showed a team capable of controlling the tempo of the match.
The move to Bilbao represents the final hurdle in the EPCR Challenge Cup. Having successfully navigated the pressure of a home semi-final, Ulster will now need to adapt to a neutral venue. The squad’s ability to adhere to their gameplan under pressure—specifically during the numerical disadvantage of the first half—will be a critical asset against either Montpellier or the Dragons.
As the team prepares for May 22, the focus shifts to maintaining the physicality that stifled Exeter. The Chiefs were unable to penetrate the Ulster line for the majority of the match, and establishing that same defensive dominance in Spain will be paramount. The celebratory atmosphere in Belfast provides a momentum boost, but the challenge in Bilbao will require the same heart
that Augustus cited as the catalyst for their semi-final success.
What to watch in the final will be whether Ulster can avoid the early profligacy that nearly cost them in Belfast. While they were able to recover against the Chiefs, the final represents the ultimate stage of the tournament. Ulster will look to combine their defensive strength with a more clinical attacking approach as they seek to secure the trophy in Bilbao.