Reigning two-time champions Toulon began their European Rugby Champions Cup defense with a rugged 28-18 victory over a spirited Scarlets side on Sunday.
Australian playmaker Matt Giteau, center Maxime Mermoz and English No. 8 Steffon Armitage crossed the whitewash as Toulon finally pulled away in the second half. The result was enough to put the French champions top of Pool 3 ahead of their trip to Northern Ireland next weekend to face Ulster, who lost 25-18 at Leicester on Saturday, but they were frustrated at failing to score a fourth try and secure a bonus point.
“We created opportunities and we were going for that bonus point at the end, but we couldn’t quite cross the line,” fullback Leigh Halfpenny told France 2.
Photo: AFP
After Halfpenny and Scarlets flyhalf Rhys Priestland exchanged penalties at the Stade Mayol, the hosts scored the opening try following clever midfield interplay between Giteau, who touched down, and Mermoz. However, Halfpenny failed to convert as the ball fell off the tee and he ran out of time to take his kick.
Scarlets were proving durable opponents and they went ahead after a converted try of their own.
Liam Williams broke through weak tackles from Mermoz and Halfpennny and though he was held up short of the line, flanker John Barclay was on hand to take a pass from the back of the ruck and charge over, although he comically dove on the ball and winded himself.
Two minutes later, Mermoz charged down Scott Williams’ clearing kick in the Welsh side’s 22 and showed nifty skills to dribble the ball over the line and touch down, with Halfpenny converting.
An exchange of penalties between Wales internationals Halfpenny and Priestland at the end of the half left the score at 18-13.
Toulon failed to take advantage of Emyr Phillips’ sin-binning early in the second, but as soon as he returned to the fray, Halfpenny kicked a penalty from halfway to extend the champions’ lead.
Scarlets’ resistance was finally broken 10 minutes from time as Armitage burrowed over after a period of pressure on the Welsh side’s line — the Englishman’s appearance almost certainly putting paid to any suggestions of a transfer back to his homeland before the World Cup as he would be cup-tied in Europe.
However, the Welsh region kept plugging away and had the final say as Kristian Phillips went over in the final minute after a sweeping backs move started from their own half.
In Dublin, two tries from Darragh Fanning saw Leinster overturn a nine-point deficit at halftime to beat Wasps 25-20 in a tough clash involving two sides who between them have been crowned champions of Europe five times.
Leinster were 20-11 down at the break, with Wasps scoring tries through Alapati Leiua and a scorching effort from wing Christian Wade, with Fanning crossing for his first in-between. Yet three-time champions Leinster hit back through Fanning’s second try.
They took a decisive lead when Dominic Ryan stretched out for the line and was awarded a try after a lengthy adjudication by the replay official. However, Wasps at least had the consolation of a losing bonus point.
In Sunday’s early matches, record four-time champions Toulouse beat fellow French Top 14 outfit Montpellier 30-23, while Ospreys ran in five tries to secure a bonus point victory in a 42-7 thumping of Italian outfit Treviso.
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