Saracens edge Toulon in thriller

The losing bonus point allowed Toulon to secure one of the lucky losers (best second-placed teams) spots in the play-offs.

Toulon started the game with intent and it was the French side who had the first chance to score, moving the ball through the phases in the midfield until wing Bryan Habana spotted a gap in the Sarries defence and dashed towards the line.

Referee Nigel Owens went upstairs but the TMO confirmed Habana to be just short of the whitewash.

Five minutes later and Toulon had another shot at five points, but Josua Tuisova, who looked to be in for the score, dropped the ball over the line.

Saracens maintained their composure, though, despite ongoing pressure from the visitors, and had their own opportunity soon after as they pushed into the Toulon 22, going through the phases as they looked for a gap in a watertight Toulon defence.

In the end the ball was turned over and the visitors cleared but one thing was clear, this was going to be a tightly fought contest.

With 20 minutes played and still no score, with the Saracens defence putting in a huge effort to contain Toulon, the home side began to wrestle control of play.

Owen Farrell lined up a drop-goal attempt as the men in black went on the attack, but the effort drifted wide.

Saracens got the first points of the day on the board with half-an-hour played.

Toulon's Duane Vermeulen was yellow-carded for a high tackle, giving Saracens a penalty in front of the posts which Farrell slotted to bag the three points.

The lead gave Saracens a boost and it was the North Londoners who dominated the attacking play for the remaining 10 minutes of the half, with Marcelo Bosch going close to a score only for the ball to be held up.

It stayed 3-0 to Saracens until half-time

The second half started in much the same vein as the first as two closely matched sides battled it out up front and in defence with very little to separate them.

Saracens got their first chance to add to their three points just before the hour mark when Owen Farrell lined up a long-range penalty, but the kick didn't quite have the distance.

Shortly after though and Saracens broke the second half deadlock to go in for the only try of the match, Chris Ashton darting through the defence on his wing to score to the delight of the Allianz Park faithful. Farrell converted to give Saracens a 10-0 lead.

With just over 10 minutes left on the clock Toulon put their first points on the board as Leigh Halfpenny landed a long-range penalty from just within the Sarries half.

Toulon needed a win to secure their spot in the quarterfinals though and with five minutes left to play looked to be in for a try in the corner only to be denied by a stunning try-saving tackle from Saracens' Mike Rhodes – who has been one of Saracens' finest tacklers in the competition so far.

As the clocked ticked down the Saracens defence were made to show what they're made of as Toulon pushed forward, again and again, making some bruising hits in the process. Once again the visitors looked to be in for a score only to be denied by a Will Skelton tackle, only a fraction ahead of the try line.

As the game approached the final whistle Leigh Halfpenny had another chance to add to Toulon's points but his penalty kick hit the post and Saracens were able to gather and clear.

The scorers:

For Saracens:

Try: Ashton

Con: Farrell

Pen: Farrell

For Toulon:

Pen: Halfpenny

Yellow card: Duane Vermeulen (Toulon, 30 – foul play, high tackle)

Teams:

Saracens: 15 Alex Lozowski, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Nick Tompkins, 11 Sean Maitland, 10 Owen Farrell (captain), 9 Richard Wigglesworth, 8 Jackson Wray, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Michael Rhodes, 5 Jim Hamilton, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Petrus Du Plessis, 2 Jamie George, 1 Richard Barrington.

Replacements: 16 Schalk Brits, 17 Titi Lamositele, 18 Juan Figallo, 19 Will Skelton, 20 Kelly Brown, 21 Ben Spencer, 22 Tim Streather, 23 Nathan Earle.

RC Toulon: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Josua Tuisova, 13 Mathieu Bastareaud, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Matt Giteau, 9 Sebastien Tillous-Borde, 8 Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, 6 Juan Smith, 5 Romain Taofifenua, 4 Mamuka Gorgodze, 3 Levan Chilachava, 2 Guilhem Guirado, 1 Laurent DelBoulbes.

Replacements: 16 Jean-Charles Orioli, 17 Xavier Chiocci, 18 Marcel Van der Merwe, 19 Liam Gill, 20 Jocelino Suta, 21 Pierre Bernard, 22 Jonathan Pelissie, 23 Samu Manoa.

Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)

Assistant referees: Ian Davies (Wales), Gwyn Morris (Wales)

TMO: Jon Mason (Wales)