More misery for struggling Toulon
Fri, 05 Dec 2008 08:51
Struggling French outfit Toulon suffered further misery when they succumbed to their third European Challenge Cup defeat in a row, going down 10-14 to Montpellier and effectively ending their campaign in Europe.
The newly promoted Top 14 outfit is currently 11th in France's premier club competition - with the very real prospect of being relegated after just one year back in the top flight.
Mourad Boudjellal, the club's eccentric President, will be even more furious with his coaching staff and playing personnel - having already enlisted the help of former Wallaby coach John Connolly and now Springbok World Cup-winning coach Jake White.
However, with White only arriving in France after Wednesday's Barbarians versus Australia match at Wembley, he would have had no time to make any impact on the Tana Umaga-coached outfit.
It was the visitors, Toulon, who got themselves onto the scoreboard first, with Ramiro Pez stroking over a kick after 20 minutes for a 3-0 lead.
Montpellier made the breakthrough after 26 minutes, with Rickus Lubbe going from the base of the ruck for a simple try, which fellow South African Jacques Schutte failed to convert.
That was one of three kicks at goal Schutte missed before he was eventually successful just before the break to give the hosts an 8-3 half-time lead.
Toulon were much brighter in the second half and took the lead once more after 46 minutes with their first try. Gabiriele Lovobalavu was the man who went over. Pez converted to make it 10-8.
Montpellier, clearly frustrated by the resurgence in the Toulon pack, resorted to kicking as a tactic, but Julien Tomas, normally a scrumhalf, was found wanting with the boot.
Pez missed another kick at goal as his pack drove the hosts off the ball and took the ball onwards several times.
The insertion of Frikkie Welsh off the Montpellier bench also provided a creative spark, but still the blue backs could not find a way through the red wall, which held its discipline far better in the second half.
That was until flank Olivier Missoup interfered with Tomas' ruck ball near the halfway line - lucky not to earn a yellow card in the process - and Olivier Sarramea stroked over a majestic penalty to give the home side the lead with eight minutes to go.
Sarramea extended the lead to four with another penalty three minutes from time after flank Jocelino Suta was caught offside at a kick.
The result gives Montpelier two wins from three games in Pool Two, but they remain in second place behind Northampton.
The scorers:
For Montpellier:
Try: Schutte
Pens: Schutte, Sarramea 2
For Toulon:
Try: Imbert
Con: Pez
Pen: Pez
Teams:
Montpellier: 15 Olivier
Sarraméa, 14 Jacques Boussuge, 13 Rickus Lubbe, 12 Grant Rees, 11 Jacques Schutte, 10 Julien Tomas (captain), 9 Adrien Tomas, 8 Mamuka Gorgodze, 7 Didier Chouchan, 6 Vassili Bost, 5 Benjamin Goze, 4 Goncalo Uva, 3 Clément Baïocco, 2 Fabien Rofes, 1 Eugène Van Staden.
Replacements: 16 Bruce Douglas, 17 Pieter Van Niekerk, 18 Drickus Hancke, 19 Joan Caudullo, 20 Jean-Matthieu Alcalde, 21 Frikkie Welsh, 22 Sébastien Kuzbik.
Toulon: 15 Damien Vidal, 14 Clement Imbert, 13 Olivier Grimaud, 12 Gabiriele Lovobalavu, 11 Luke Rooney, 10 Ramiro Pez, 9 Matt Henjak, 8 Fotunuupule Auelua, 7 Olivier Missoup, 6 Jocelino Suta, 5 Esteban Lozada (captain), 4 César Delarue, 3 Jérome Filitoga, 2 Anthony Muleta, 1 Davit Kubriashvili.
Replacements: 16 Guillaume Ribes, 17 Benjamin Basteres, 18 Soane Toevalu, 19 Cedric Beal, 20 Tusiata Pisi, 21 Mafileo Kefu, 22 Norman
Jordaan.
Referee: Rob Debney (England)
Touch judges: Martin Fox (England), Sean Davey (England)
TMO: David Matthews (England)
