Ulster squeezed into the last wight of the Champions Cup with a 22 – 15 win against an understrength Bath at Ravenhill on Saturday afternoon.

With their fate in their own hands it was a nervous display from Ulster despite taking an early lead from a Marcell Coetzee converted try.

Bath had the game all eve at the break with a try of their own but second half scores from Robert Baloucoune and Will Addison gave Ulster a big enough lead to see off a late Bath comeback.

Clermont’s win over Harlequins means Ulster advance as sixth seeds and will face Toulouse in April.

It was a poor enough first half from Ulster despite going ahead after 6 minutes when Coetzee went over off the back of a maul for John Cooney to convert.

Bath controlled territory and possession for the rest of the half but their discipline let them down at key moments.

The visitors levelled the game by the end of the first quarter when a cross field kick by Freddy Burns was misjudged by Jacob Stockdale for Bath’s Ruaridh McConnochie to collect and score, Burns adding the extras.

Ulster’s looked to respond off a Billy Burns break which was taken on by Coetzee. With a score looking likely, Bath flanker Tom Ellis obstructed Cooney’s support line with the move breaking down and Ellis getting a yellow card. Ulster were unable to take advantage of their extra man and the half ended with the teams tied at 7 – all.

Ulster found some form at the start of the second half and good hands found Addison in space with the full back stepping inside and finding a behind-the-back pass to send Baloucoune on his way for his try. Cooney converted.

Freddy Burns pulled back three points with a penalty but minutes later Addison finished off another following move to go over in the corner to give Ulster a 19 – 10 lead. Unfortunately Ulster’s fullback was forced off on the 52nd minute and a lot of Ulster’s creativity went with him.

The last half hour wasn’t pretty. Bath reduced the defect to a four points when replacement hooker Ross Batty bundled over off the back of a maul but Ulster pulled it out to 7 points, from the boot of Billy Burns as Batty was red carded for a high tackle on Cooney.

Ulster never really hit their stride in the closing minutes and the game petered out without further score.

ULSTER: Will Addison, Robert Baloucoune, Luke Marshall, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale, Billy Burns, John Cooney, Jack McGrath, Rob Herring, Marty Moore, Alan O’Connor, Iain Henderson, Sean Reidy, Jordi Murphy, Marcell Coetzee. Replacements: Adam McBurney, Eric O’Sullivan, Ross Kane, Kieran Treadwell, Nick Timoney, Dave Shanahan, Bill Johnston, Craig Gilroy.

BATH: Tom Homer, Gabe Hamer-Webb, Jackson Willison, Max Wright, Ruaridh McConnochie, Freddie Burns, Ollie Fox, Beno Obano, Jack Walker, Will Stuart, Matt Garvey, Charlie Ewels, Tom Ellis, Sam Underhill, Josh Bayliss. Replacements: Ross Batty, Lucas Noguera, Sam Nixon, Josh McNally, Mike Williams, Chris Cook, Rhys Priestland, Aled Brew.