Kolbe starts Toulon chapter with a win

CHALLENGE CUP WRAP: Springbok superstar Cheslin Kolbe started his Toulon journey with a win in the European Challenge Cup on Friday.

Kolbe was wearing the No.11 jersey in the French side’s 28-14 win over Zebre at the Stade Félix Mayol in Round Two.

In Friday’s other matches, Gloucester thumped Benetton 54-25, while Lyon left Newport with a 41-28 win over the Dragons.

Friday’s scores and scorers!

Toulon 28-14 Zebre

RC Toulon beat Zebre Parma 28-14 at Stade Félix Mayol on Friday, in their first game of this season’s EPCR Challenge Cup.

The three-time European champions led 14-7 at half-time thanks to tries from prop Emerick Setiano and lock Quinn Roux, but Zebre were well in the game courtesy of Asaeli Tuivuaka’s score on 34 minutes.

Toulon started the second half well and were rewarded when scrumhalf Baptiste Serin crossed for their third try of the evening on 44 minutes.

A penalty try on 63 minutes secured the bonus point for the hosts, who now sit top of Pool A, but they would concede for a second time six minutes later as substitute Jacopo Bianchi dotted down for Zebre.

There would be no comeback for the Italian side however, who are now bottom of Pool A after two defeats in two games – they were beaten 26-13 by Biarritz Olympique last weekend.

Toulon travel to Worcester Warriors in Round Three, while Zebre aren’t in EPCR Challenge Cup action again until Round Four when they host the Premiership side.

The scorers:

For Toulon:
Tries: Setiano, Roux, Serin, Penalty Try
Cons: Carbonel 3

For Zebre:
Tries: Tuivuaka, Bianchi
Cons: Canna 2

Gloucester 54-25 Benetton

Gloucester ran in eight tries as they beat Benetton 54-25 at Kingsholm Stadium.

The hosts race into an early lead as hooker Jack Singleton, scrumhalf Ben Meehan and flank Jordy Reid all crossed inside 30 minutes but tries from Benetton flyhalf Rhyno Smith – who had earlier kicked two penalties – and flankr Sebastian Negri saw the visitors trail by just one point at half-time.

But Gloucester’s scoring resumed after the break as Matias Alemanno went over to secure the bonus point before they were awarded a penalty try and Stephen Varney then dotted down.

Substitute Luca Morisi notched Benetton’s third score on 63 minutes but the Gloucester onslaught continued – wing Jonny May and replacement Jack Clement grabbing further tries before the game was up.

It was an impressive display from Gloucester who bounced back from their Round One defeat to Lyon last weekend – they now sit second in Pool B and don’t play again in the EPCR Challenge Cup until they host USAP in Round Four.

Benetton meanwhile are bottom of the pool and welcome Dragons in Round Three.

The scorers:

For Gloucester:
Tries: Singleton, Meehan, Reid, Alemanno, Penalty Try, Varney, May, Clement
Cons: Hastings 4, Evans 2

For Benetton:

Tries: Smith, Negri, Morisi
Cons: Smith 2
Pens: Smith 2

Dragons 28-41 Lyon

Lyon came out on top of an entertaining EPCR Challenge Cup Round Tow game at Rodney Parade on Friday, beating Dragons 41-28 in Pool B.

Wing Ethan Dumortier notched a brace of tries for visitors Lyon, with flyhalf Leo Berdeu kicking three conversions and five penalties – including four in the last 20 minutes – to take his match tally to 21 points.

Dumortier crossed for his first score in addition to tries from centre Alfred Parisien and scrumhalf Jonathan Pelissie to give Lyon a commanding early lead.

Dragons flyhalf Sam Davies, who racked up 13 points over the course of the game, slotted two penalties before prop Mesake Doge went over just before half-time to reduce the deficit to eight points.

Dumortier crossed again on 41 minutes, but Dragons responded through prop Aki Seiuli and then flank Aaron Wainwright as they moved to within four points.

Berdeu’s penalties would, however, be enough to see Lyon home despite seeing two players yellow carded in the second half.

Lyon, who are away at USAP in Round Three, now top Pool B on nine points, while Dragons are fourth on one point – they travel to Benetton next.

The scorers:

For Dragons:
Tries: Doge, Seiuli, Wainright
Cons: S Davies 2
Pens: S Davies 3

For Lyon:
Tries: Dumortier 2, Parisien, Pélissié
Cons: Berdeu 3
Pens: Berdeu 5

Source: @ChallengeCup_