Ulster remain pointless in Pool 1 of the Investec Champions Cup after Leicester Tigers outclassed the visitors 38-10 to ensure they qualified for the knockout stage of the competition, with Josh Bassett registering a hat-trick and Ollie Hassell-Collins bagging a brace for the English outfit.
Nathan Doak's early penalty and a try from Nick Timoney got the visitors off to a flying start, but Bassett crossed after 17 minutes and just before the break.
Handre Pollard missed the second of his conversation attempts, but Michael Cheika's charges still led 12-10 at the interval, despite an indifferent display early on.
The hosts really hit their stride after the restart, with Hassell-Collins getting in on the scoring act in the 48th minute and adding his second try just three minutes later to ensure Leicester picked up a bonus point.
Bassett capitalised on acres of space near the touchline to grab his third try in the 60th minute, with Izaia Perese clinically punishing sloppy Ulster handling for a sixth Leicester try on a frigid night.
SCORERS:
Leicester: Tries - Bassett (3), Hassell-Collins (2), Perese
Cons - Pollard (2), Steward, Shillcock
Ulster: Tries - Timoney
Con - Doak
Pen - Doak
Leicester: Freddie Steward; Josh Bassett, Izaia Perese, Solomone Kata, Ollie Hassell-Collins; Handre Pollard, Jack van Poortvliet; Nicky Smith, Julian Montoya (capt), Joe Heyes; Cameron Henderson, Jed Holloway; Finn Carnduff, Tommy Reffell, Olly Cracknell.
Replacements: Emeka Ilione for Carnduff (50 mins), Joseph Woodward for Kata (54 mins), Ben Youngs for van Poortvliet (60 mins), Dan Cole for Heyes (60 mins), Jamie Shillcock for Pollard (62 mins), Charlie Clare for Montoya (64 mins), James Whitcombe for Smith (64 mins), Harry Wells for Holloway (69 mins).
Ulster: Ethan McIlroy; Werner Kok, Ben Carson, Jude Postlethwaite, Zac Ward; Aidan Morgan, Nathan Doak; Andrew Warwick, John Andrew, Scott Wilson; Iain Henderson (capt), Cormac Izuchukwu; James McNabney, Nick Timoney, David McCann.
Replacements: Rory Telfer for McIlroy (23 mins), Jack Murphy for Morgan (50 mins), Eric O'Sullivan for Warwick (52 mins), Kieran Treadwell for Henderson (54 mins), Kieran Treadwell for Henderson (54 mins), James McCormick for Andrew (56 mins), Corrie Barrett for Wilson (56 mins), Harry Sheridan for Izuchukwu (65 mins), John Cooney for Doak (56 mins).
Referee: Craig Evans
