Toulouse 20-26 Ulster: We must improve to stay in Europe - McFarland
- Published
Robert Baloucoune celebrates after scoring three tries for Ulster in the win over Toulouse
Dan McFarland says a better Ulster display is required against Toulouse in next week's Champions Cup second leg despite Saturday's 26-20 win in France.
The holders lost Juan Cruz Mallia to an early red card in the last-16 tie before Robert Baloucoune's hat-trick helped Ulster to victory.
"We'll have to be a lot better next week if we want to prevail over the two legs," said Ulster coach McFarland.
"Six points to Toulouse is nothing. It's 15 seconds of brilliance."
Mallia was sent off on 10 minutes for taking out Ben Moxham in the air and Ulster capitalised on the extra man with four tries at the Stadium de Toulouse.
Baloucoune's treble and Andy Warwick going over helped the visitors move 13 points clear before a late converted try from Romain Ntamack.
Irish side hold edge
Ulster hold the advantage going into the second leg at Kingspan Stadium next Saturday with the winners to take on Munster or Exeter Chiefs in the quarter-finals.
"I think we could have taken a larger points difference back - if you had offered it to me before, winning in Toulouse by six points, I'm not sure anyone wouldn't take it," added McFarland.
Ulster pair Duane Vermeulen and Iain Henderson tackle Toulouse's Cyril Baille
"We were playing Toulouse in Toulouse. We created opportunities in that game to score tries. For chunks of that game, we were really good.
"Our lineout, which is normally extremely good, didn't function as well as it can do. They were excellent in lineout defence and that was really crucial.
"At the breakdown we were counter-rucked on a number of occasions and we can't afford to do that at home.
"They are Toulouse, they are the champions of Europe, champions of the Top 14, and they have got some of the best players in the world. We're going to have to be a lot better next week. We're going to have to be on our game."
McFarland said that Moxham "feels fine" after going off for an HIA following the incident with Mallia. "You go through the protocols. We'll monitor him and go through the protocols during the week."