The Rugby Club Toulonnais cannot do it in this Champions Cup. After being beaten at the opening of the competition at Mayol against Exeter, the RCT lost again this Friday, again against an English club, but this time on the Northampton pitch (22-19).
Despite the absence due to injury of Baptiste Serin, the Toulonnais arrived in England with ideas in mind given the team lined up. Pierre Mignoni notably chose to launch the All Black Leicester Fainga’anuku for his first with his new club. But the English quickly imposed their rule on the match despite Toulon opening the score with a penalty from Enzo Hervé (6th). The response was immediate with the try from Tom Seabrook (7th) after an excellent start to the game and a nice pass from the opener Smith.
And during a first period with a fairly slow pace, the Toulonnais will prove powerless against the Saints. Very active in the heart of the game, Fainga’anuku tried to get past the English defense… without success. Very dangerous and fast with their young line of 3/4 (27 years old for the oldest), the English have wreaked havoc on several occasions in the ranks of the RCT. After a second try similar in every way to the first and scored by Furbank (29th), Toulon will avoid falling behind thanks to a saving return from Jaminet in front of the same Furbank (32nd).
Upon returning from the locker room, a transfigured Toulon will regain hope by multiplying dangerous situations. After several unsuccessful attempts, it is finally Melvyn Jaminet who will rekindle the flame of an entire team thanks to a try in the corner (55th). And despite an immediate response from the English with a new try from Furbank (59th), the Toulonnais will not relax their efforts and will continue to believe in victory.
In the wake of Charles Ollivon and Gabin Villière, Enzo Hervé will first score a penalty to bring his team closer (63rd, 15-11). A few minutes later it was the winger in the red helmet who lit the fuse on his wing to make the difference. A few minutes of play later, we found ourselves in front of the English goal and David Ribbans, the former Saints second row, flattened Toulon’s second try (65th). On its momentum, the RCT returned to the edge of the opposing 22m to put Melvyn Jaminet in a chair. Nearly 40 meters from the poles, the former Toulouse player even gave his team a 4-point lead thanks to a masterful drop (70th).
But Toulon, after having done the hard part by going back in front, scuttled itself… In the same action, Matteo le Corvec and Jérémie Sinzelle were sanctioned with a yellow card, respectively for a high tackle and a voluntary forward. By leaving their partners at 13 against 15 for the last five minutes, the two Toulonnais gave the Saints a golden opportunity to seek victory. And the English did not need to be asked, waiting patiently to shift Lockett to the end of the line and to win at the last minute (79th). Toulon had done the hardest part and held on for victory but ultimately left this trip with a small point and a last place in their Investec Champions Cup group. The rest looks complicated…