Ulster take first leg advantage away from 14-man Toulouse
Robert Baloucoune claimed a wonderful hat-trick as Ulster moved towards the Champions Cup last eight with a 20-26 win over 14-man defending champions Toulouse in France on Saturday.
The hosts were down a man for 70 minutes after Juan Cruz Mallia's red card.
Baloucoune went over the line once before the interval and twice in the second period with Andy Warwick also gaining a try as Toulouse grew weary.
There was a late sting but as Romain Ntamack's grabbed a score in the closing stages so Toulouse are only chasing a six-point deficit in the second leg.
The end to this contest was a compelling one as the home side even threatened to snatch an unlikely win from the jaws of defeat having been staring at a 13-point deficit with just a minute left on the clock.
A relieved Ulster will now however take their advantage back to Belfast's Kingspan Stadium for the second leg next Saturday.
Whoever emerges as the winner of the tie is set to face either Munster or Exeter Chiefs in the quarter-final.