Toulon win thriller
Wed, 27 Aug 2008 10:49
It was a great night for the home side at Stade Félix-Mayol in Toulon when they wiped out a first-half deficit and then beat mighty Clermont Auvergne 22-16 in a thriller of a match.
It was a great feat for the newly promoted side against the team which three months ago ended top of the Top 14 and sends out a loud warning to the rest of France that Toulon are not in the Top 14 just to survive this time. Their goal the championship, the Bouclier de Brennus, no less.
In the first half Clermont were in command as they destroyed the Toulon scrum and generally dominated proceedings till they led 13-0 at the break. The second half was all change. Toulon made one change to their front row and got stuck in with a will, using pick-'n-drive the batter the visitors' pack and won the half 22-3. It was an astounding change of fortune and yet the Auvergnats could well have won it at the end but for stout Toulon resistance on their own line.
What a match! If this is the new French rugby - enterprise and no violence - then it is going to be a huge success.
Brock James kicked off for Clermont and immediately Marc Andreu, the RCT left wing, ran, low-slung, powerful legs pounding, snaking up the field, came racing back over acres. Toulon may well have scored had Andreu's pass not been forward. It set the tone for the way the little man was going to play the game even if his immediate opponent was big, smooth Aurélien Rougerie.
Back came Clermont Auvergne with many phases and James potted an easy dropped goal. 3-0 after 2 minutes.
Andreu had another cutting run but for the most part Clermont Auvergne defended with immediate efficiency and there was a great deal of kicking. Both sides missed penalty kicks at goal and then Clermont defended at great length. From a scrum towards the right, they went right - 8-9-15 and an overlap for Rougerie who had an easy run in to the corner, whence Benoît Bay converted. 10-0 after 27 minutes.
When Olivier Grimaud was injured Sonny Bill Williams made his Top 14 debut.
After the half-time siren had sounded, Clermont Auvergne were awarded a penalty at a tackle and Baby goaled to make the score 13-0.
In the second half David Banquet came on for Ben Castle and Toulon's scrumming problems were resolved for in the first half Clermont Auvergne had scrummed them to disintegration. And they got stuck in with captain Peter Fitzgerald to lead them. (Pity poor Tiaan Liebenberg. He left Western Province because he got so little game time behind Schalk Brits and now he is behind captain Fitzgerald and got no game plan at all.)
Lively Andreu set up Toulon's first try. He chipped, Toulon put on the pressure, Clermont Auvergne messed and Williams took a pass. The new signing from rugby league raced 40 metres to score. Ramiro Pez converted from a good way out. 13-7 to Clermont Auvergne.
Clermont Auvergne were now cracking under pressure and the next try belonged to Banquet who ran 22 metres with Jerry Collins close beside him to score in the left corner. Again Pez converted. 14-13 after 51 minutes.
When Thomas Sourice was penalised at a tackle, Baby restored the visitors;' lead at 16-14.
It did not last long for Toulon scored a brilliant try. Clermont Auvergne were playing right but the pass to Rougerie was a poor one which he, dexterously, tried to catch behind his back. Little Andreu took it off his back and went racing down the line. He seemed to lose confidence and played the ball inside where it went to the far right and a try for Martin Jagr in the right corner. The Czech wing injured an ankle in scoring the try but Toulon were up 19-16 after 58 minutes.
Clermont Auvergne, who hatred high kicks to them, attacked but their hands let them down and Pez was the one to score when he goaled a penalty. 22-16 with 15 minutes to play.
Two terrible clearing kicks by Fauqué and Pez gave Clermont Auvergne chances but Toulon tackled and survived as the home crowd clapped hands and sang. Toulon survived an onslaught on their line and Fauqué drove them back into the own 22 with a great diagonal kick.\
When the siren went and Matt Henjak hoofed the ball out glee broke out in whole of Toulon.
Scorers:
For Toulon:
Tries: Williams, Banquet, Jagr
Cons: Pez 2
Pen: Pez
For Clermont Auvergne:
Try: Rougerie
Con: Baby
Pens: Baby 2
Drop: James
Teams:
Clermont Auvergne: 15 Benoît Baby, 14 Aurélien Rougerie, 13 Gonzalo Canale, 12 Pierre Manuel Garcia, 11 Julien Malzieu, 10 Brock James, 9 Pierre Mignoni, 8 Julien Bonnaire, 7 Emmanuel Etien, 6 Fabien Alexandre, 5
Thibaut Privat, 4 Christophe Samson, 3 Davit Zirakashvili, 2 Mario Ledesma, 1 Laurent Emmanuelli.
Replacements: 16 Mirko Lozupone, 17 Simms Davison, 18 Vincent Debaty, 19 Loic Jacquet, 21 Elvis Vermeulen, 22 Thomas Combezou, 23 Arnaud Mignardi
Toulon: 15 Olivier Grimaud, 14 Martin Jagr, 13 Mafileo Kefu, 12 Tusi Pisi, 11 Marc Andreu, 10 Ramiro Pez, 9 Norman Jordaan, 8 Thomas Sourice, 7 Jerry Collins, 6 Soane Toevalu, 5 Esteban Lozada, 4 Jocelino Suta, 3 Ben Castle, 2 Philip Fitzgerald (captain), 1 Saimone Taumoepeau.
Replacements: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg, 17 David Banquet, 18 Mathieu Larrouy, 19 Fotunuupule Auelua, 20 Yoann Maestri, 21 Sonny Bill Williams, 22 Sébastien Fauqué, 23 Matt Henjak.
Referee: Christophe Berdos
Touch judges: Patrick Bellet, Claude Tajan
Assessor: Patrice Frantschi, Daniel
Pruvot
Television match official: Daniel Dartigeas
