Heineken Champions Cup: Ulster lacked discipline against 'ruthless' Leinster, says Dan McFarland

Ross Byrne kicked 15 points as Leinster set up a home quarter-final against Leicester Tigers

Ulster head coach Dan McFarland admits his side lacked discipline as they exited the Heineken Champions Cup round of 16 at the hands of a "ruthless" Leinster at the Aviva Stadium.

Leinster won 30-15 in the Dublin rain with Ulster conceding 15 penalties and picking up two yellow cards.

McFarland also highlighted how a well-drilled Leinster unit refused to allow Ulster a route back into the game.

"I was really proud of the way our guys fronted up physically," said McFarland.

"I thought the preparation from the support staff and the players during the week in the lead up to the game was excellent.

"But on the day you've got to be able to execute at a really high level and be really precise because when you're playing a team like Leinster...there was barely a 'gimme' today.

"There was barely an occasion where they would make an error and give us some sort of access, everything that was won was fought for."

After Ryan Baird's early score, Ulster kept alive their hopes of an upset when James Hume crossed following fine work from Jacob Stockdale and Billy Burns.

However, Leinster still managed to build an eight-point lead at the break and crushed any rising Ulster momentum when Andrew Porter finished soon after Rob Herring crossed, with Jamison Gibson-Park having earlier bagged the home side's second.

Ulster's misery was compounded late on when Harry Sheridan was yellow-carded for a high tackle on Ross Byrne with Hume having earlier been sin-binned for no clear release.

"On the reverse side we probably lacked a little bit of discipline that gave access and they were ruthless there, particularly off the back of our scores," added McFarland.

"That didn't really allow us to gain any momentum in the game. That was probably the story of it."

McFarland also bemoaned the opportunities his side were blocked from creating by a relentless Leinster team that started with 14 Ireland internationals.

"How many lineout opportunities did we get? I think we had one in the first half and had a malfunction.

"We had two in the second half, one a penalty score to try and we needed more. But if they pressurise you and you add on penalties that you could have avoided, we're not going to get those opportunities.

"We gave everything we had but just not quite good enough."

While Ulster are left to reflect on another disappointing European exit, Leinster will quickly switch focus to a home quarter-final against Leicester Tigers on Friday.

Leinster are favourites to win the competition for the fifth time having lost last year's final to La Rochelle and head coach Leo Cullen said he was pleased to overcome a battling Ulster side.

"We're pleased to be through," said Cullen.

"Ulster put it up to us after Baird scored his try. Even when Jamison scored they came back again so they battled away, like we knew they would.

"It's a strange feeling. There's a 10-week lead into a game and now there's a six-day turnaround. There was amazing support out there."

Cullen, who joked that injured fly-half Johnny Sexton will be selling tickets to try and attract another big crowd for the quarter-final, added: "We're pleased to get through because it's not a straightforward competition, is it?

"You go through the pool stages and then you face Ulster, good, cohesive team that they are, so it's about getting through."