THE TRAGIC fashion sense remains, but at least Stade Français appear to have sorted out their travel sickness problems. The French championship leaders emphatically recorded their first Heineken Cup victory at Ravenhill in five attempts yesterday against an Ulster side short on confidence and ideas.

Stade were shocking in pink but brilliant in just about every other way, and in Argentinian outside-half Juan Martin Hernandez they possess one of the stars of world rugby and he gave a display which belied Stade’s dreadful away record in this competition.

This season marks the tenth anniversary of Ulster’s sole European Cup success, but they have failed to reach the latter stages since and don’t look like arresting the slide soon.

After 16 minutes the visitors had built up a 6-0 lead courtesy of a penalty from Lionel Beauxis and a trademark drop goal from Hernandez. Stade dominated the first quarter and there was an inevitability about their opening try in the 23rd minute. Centre Guillaume Bousses scored it but the move was all about Hernandez once Stade had opted to run a penalty.

The Argentine was involved twice and his quick hands split the Ulster defence with one short pass to Bousses, who was able to saunter over the line. Beauxis converted and suddenly Ulster found themselves 13-0 behind. The French had their tails up and soon Hernandez landed an audacious drop goal from over 40 metres.

After failing to score in the opening 40 minutes of play, Ulster succeeded in breaking their duck nine minutes after the restart when Niall O’Con-nor landed a penalty. The relief was palpable, but French flair had the last word, hooker Dim-itri Szarzewski crashing over before a Beauxis drop goal in the 63rd minute sealed victory. Paddy Wallace’s late try was not much of a consolation .

Star man: Juan Martin Hernandez (Stade)

Referee: N Owens (Wales)

Attendance: 10,397

Scorers: Ulster: Try: Wallace 73. Pen: O’Connor Stade Français:Tries: Bousses 23, Szarzewski 57. Cons: Beauxis (2). Pen: Beauxis. DG: Hernandez (2), Beauxis

ULSTER: B Cunningham; C Schifcofske (P Steinmetz 45min (I Humphreys 58min)), D Cave, P Wallace, A Trimble; N O'Connor, I Boss (C Willis 51min); T Court (J Fitzpatrick 51min), R Best (capt), BJ Botha, E O'Donoghue, R Caldwell (C Del Fava 58min), S Ferris, R Diack, K Dawson.

STADE FRANCAIS: L Beauxis, J Arias (Mirco Bergamasco 69min), G Bousses (M Bastareud 32min), B Lie-benberg, J Saubade, JM Hernandez, N Oelschig; R Roncero, D Szarzewski, D Attoub (S Marconnet 45min (D Attoub 54min)), A Marchois (P Vigouroux 64min), S Taylor, Mauro Bergamasco (J Leguizamun 48min), P Rabadan, S Parisse (capt).