Biggar helps Toulon beat Bath
CHALLENGE CUP REPORT: Bath Rugby were comfortably beaten in Round two of the Challenge Cup as RC Toulon claimed a 29-7 win at Stade Félix Mayol on Saturday.
The boot of Dan Biggar was as reliable as always, now in Toulon colours, contributing a penalty and three conversions for a match tally of nine points.
Jiuta Wainiqolo, Maelan Rabut and Bruce Devaux crossed in the first half for the hosts, with Gervais Cordin dotting down in the second.
The only setback for the EPCR heavyweights was a yellow card for Baptiste Serin on 71 minutes after a deliberate knock-on.
That allowed Bath the space to get on the board, Tom Doughty getting over and Piers Francis adding the extras. But the visitors’ luck didn’t last long, Max Green heading into the bin himself three minutes later.
It was never going to be an easy prospect for Bath on the road, but such a thumping defeat after a narrow loss last week at home to Glasgow Warriors means they are still without a win in the competition thus far.
Bath and Toulon clash again in Round three, the French side heading to The Recreation Ground on January 14.
The scorers
For Toulon:
Tries: Wainiqolo, Rabut, Devaux, Cordin
Cons: Biggar 3
Pen: Biggar
For Bath:
Try: Doughty
Con: Francis
Toulon: 15 Thomas Salles, 14 Gervais Cordin, 13 Jérémy Sinzelle, 12 Maëlan Rabut, 11 Jiuta Naqoli Wainiqolo, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Jules Danglot, 8 Sergio Parisse (captain), 7 Raphael Lakafia, 6 Jules Coulon, 5 Adrien Warion, 4 Swan Rebbadj, 3 Kieran Brookes, 2 Anthony Etrillard, 1 Bruce Devaux.
Replacements: 16 Teddy Baubigny, 17 Dany Priso, 18 Beka Gigashvili, 19 Charles Ollivon, 20 Brian Alainu’uese, 21 Baptiste Serin, 22 Ihaia West, 23 Aymeric Luc.
Bath: 15 Tom de Glanville, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Max Ojomoh, 11 Will Butt, 10 Piers Francis, 9 Ben Spencer (captain), 8 Richard de Carpentier, 7 Miles Reid, 6 Tom Ellis, 5 Fergus Lee-Warner, 4 Dave Attwood, 3 D’Arcy Rae, 2 Tom Dunn, 1 Lewis Boyce.
Replacements: 16 Tom Doughty, 17 Valery Morozov, 18 Johannes Jonker, 19 Will Spencer, 20 Josh Bayliss, 21 Max Green, 22 Orlando Bailey, 23 Ted Hill,
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)
Assistant referees: Alex Frasson (Italy) & Franco Rosella (Italy)
TMO: Stefano Roscini (Italy)
