Toulouse do the double defeat
TOP 14 WRAP: French champions Toulouse lost for a second straight weekend, as they were beaten 22-12 by last year’s losing semifinalists Lyon on Sunday.
The record 20-time league winners, without 13 players away on World Cup duty, continued the sluggish form they showed in their opening round defeat to Bordeaux-Begles – with a disappointing display against 14-men for the final 20 minutes.
Lyon flyhalf Jonathan Wisniewski scored 14 points in a perfect display from the boot for the hosts who are without the likes of France lock Felix Lambey and Fiji wing Josua Tuisova due the Japan tournament, which begins on September 20.
“Loann Goujon’s red card could have cost us the game. We’re good where we are but we still have work to do to stop the opposition from developing their game,” Lyon head coach Pierre Mignoni said.
“A few years ago, we maybe would have slipped up and we wouldn’t have won the match,” he added.
Toulouse host Racing 92 next weekend in their first home match of the campaign after winning the French title in Paris in June and former France international Mathieu Bastareaud returns to Toulon with Lyon.
Wisniewski slotted the first of his four penalty goals on four minutes after Xavier Mignot’s try had been ruled out by the television match official.
The home side stretched their lead to 10-0 three minutes later as France wing Noa Nakataici crossed in the corner and Wisniewski added the extras.
Zack Holmes claimed Toulouse’s first points of proceedings with a penalty on the 18-minute mark.
Australian Holmes and 34-year-old Wisniewski then traded further penalty kicks in humid conditions and Lyon led 13-6 at the break.
The pair of flyhalves then repeated their first half efforts as the hosts held a 16-9 advantage with 20 minutes to go.
Lyon were down to 14 men shortly after as substitute Goujon was shown a red card for stamping on Scotland lock Richie Gray.
Gray was yellow carded by Sebastien Minery as he held back Goujon beforehand.
Holmes closed the gap to four points which would have claimed a bonus point for the away side.
But Wisniewski and former New Zealand centre Charlie Ngatai added penalties to deny Toulouse the point and claim top spot in the table for Lyon.
Earlier in the day, Racing 92 bounced back from an opening day defeat to newly-promoted Bayonne beating 2018 champions Castres 23-14 in Paris.
On Saturday, Bordeaux-Begles won for a second straight weekend as young France fly-half Mathieu Jalibert starred in their 34-21 victory over Toulon.
