Biarritz had dominated for over an hour but came agonisingly close to throwing it away after Ulster stormed back into the game with tries by Jan Cunningham and Andy Ward.

But Ulster’s rally petered out just as it seemed they would steal victory as Biarritz cemented their place at the top of the pool.

Qualification to the quarter-finals will now be an uphill battle for Ulster, champions in 1999, with the pool now down to a fight between Biarritz and Northampton, who play Cardiff tomorrow.

The game began disastrously for Ulster who went into it with an injury crisis.

Already without Ryan Constable, Shane Stewart, Tyrone Howe, Paddy Wallace and Ireland star David Humphreys, who was forced to pull out of the game yesterday with a hamstring strain, the visitors lost centre Jonny Bell in the first minute with a hand injury.

Sheldon Coulter joined Cunningham in a makeshift midfield and the home side quickly exploited gaps in the back line.

After Dimitri Yachvili and Neil Doak had swapped penalties, Biarritz took control with tries by John Isaac and David Couzinet, the second coming when Ulster were reduced to 14 men following the sin-binning of Andy Ward.

Ulster narrowed the deficit after the break with Doak’s second penalty but the home side seemed to have made the game safe when substitute Jean-Emmanuel Cassin went over for a dubious try in the corner in the 55th minute.

Ulster then produced a thrilling comeback.

First Cunningham went over and although Yachvili extended the lead with his second penalty, Biarritz had to endure a tense finale after Ward touched down. But the home side held on.

Yachvili and Doak both made two of their conversion attempts.