BBC Sport
[Source: BBC]
Cormac Izuchukwu’s hat-trick helped keep alive Ulster’s hopes of advancing to the Investec Champions Cup knockout stages with a thumping 52 – 24 bonus-point victory over Exeter Chiefs at Kingspan Stadium.
Having fallen 12-0 behind early on, Ulster hit back to draw level at half-time following a breathless opening 40 minutes in which the sides shared six tries.
While the Chiefs ran out of steam, Ulster surged clear with four more tries in the second half to guarantee Challenge Cup rugby and pile pressure on fourth-placed Sharks, who travel to Bordeaux on Sunday (13:00 GMT).
The result draws Ulster level on points with the Sharks but the South African side have the edge on points difference with -33 to to Ulster’s -61.
But having suffered three heavy defeats, the manner in which Ulster blew Exeter away in the second half may prove a turning point for their season even if they fall short in reaching the last-16.
For Exeter, however, it is a 13th defeat in 14 games this season for Rob Baxter’s side, who are left to reflect on a bruising European campaign that yielded four losses and 224 points conceded.
