Ulster head coach Richie Murphy was delighted as the province secured European knockout rugby by claiming a 52-24 bonus point victory over the Exeter Chiefs at Kingspan Stadium.

Cormac Izuchukwu touched down three times on Friday night as Ulster outscored the English Premiership side by eight tries to four.

The result guarantees Murphy’s men a place in the last 16 of the Challenge Cup – and they could still make the knockout stages of the Champions Cup, although won’t know their fate until Sunday afternoon.

To make the last 16 of the premier tournament Ulster must hope the Sharks pick up no match points away at pool leaders Bordeaux and lose by a margin or 28 points or more.

placeholder image — Ulster's Ben Carson scores a try in the Investec Champions Cup win over Exeter at the Kingspan Stadium, Belfast. (Photo by Liam McBurney/PA Wire)

No matter what competition Ulster end up playing in during April, Murphy believes it was vital for the development of the side to have a big game to relish.

"It's going to be really important, we know we've a European game coming up - who that will be and in what competition, that'll depend what happens on Sunday,” stated Murphy. “It's important we win rugby matches and over the last while we haven't won enough, so we'll enjoy this one and go after more over the next few weeks.

"It's going to be really important, our focus will turn back into the league, we've five really important games coming up and I think that leads us nicely into Europe."

If Ulster do reach the last 16 of the Champions Cup, they are likely to face Bordeaux away. The French side won 40-19 in the pool stages at Kingspan Stadium but Murphy would relish another crack at the Top 14 leaders with a stronger side.

"I'm sure I will be watching (Bordeaux v Sharks), I nearly watch every game of rugby that's on anyway,” he said. “The prize is probably a trip to Bordeaux, we'd love to play them again, they're one of the top teams in Europe.”

"By the time we play them again we'll have some reinforcements coming back into our squad, we're at a stage where over the next few games we'll be dripping some very senior players back into our team.

“These guys have done an incredible job and it'll add to the competition in the squad.

"We have competed in this competition alright...Toulouse blew us away in the first half but second half we scrapped with them a bit, Bordeaux for 60 minutes we were pretty good but got blown away, so it was nice to do it the other way against Exeter.

"Loads of things we need to be better at but it gives us a chance later on."

Seven of Ulster’s eight tries were scored by the forwards and tight head prop Scott Wilson was named ‘Man of the Match’.

"I thought the pack were incredible, a lot of credit has to go to Jimmy Duffy for what he has done in a very short space of time in relation to line-out, attack, defence,” said Murphy. “The maul is much better...the scrum, he's done a super job in that area with young guys under immense pressure at the very top of the game having to step up."