Franco Smith’s men roar back to topple Toulouse
SATURDAY WRAP: Franco Smith’s Glasgow Warriors pulled off one of the most remarkable comebacks in the 30-year history of the European Champions Cup at Scotstoun, toppling a giant spectacularly.
Trailing 0-21 at half-time, the Warriors surged back to claim a 28-21 victory over Toulouse, effectively securing their place in the last 16 with two pool games still to play.
The win stands as a landmark moment in Scottish rugby, powered by a breathtaking second-half performance that left the six-time European champions reeling.
Glasgow fought back to topple the record six-time Champions Cup winners as Antoine Dupont made his first start for more than eight months.
The Scottish hosts trailed 21-0 at the break with Dupont, who had made just two substitute appearances since suffering a knee injury in March, in full flow.
In driving rain at Scotstoun, the French side collapsed after the interval to lose their first Champions Cup group game since January 2022.
France superstar Dupont helped fire Toulouse to a 21-0 lead after 36 minutes, scoring himself and then setting up centre Kalvin Gourgues for the first of his two tries.
Seconds before the break, Toulouse winger Ange Capuozzo was inches from claiming the bonus point but put his foot in touch as he attempted to dive over.
Momentum shifted after the interval with tries from fullback Josh McKay, back-rower Gregor Brown, and Tuipulotu bringing the sides level and generating the belief that the Warriors could secure their first win over Toulouse since 2009.
Dupont was replaced with 10 minutes left and seconds later, Glasgow’s replacement hooker Seb Stephen crashed over from a rolling maul. Fly-half Adam Hastings kicked a fourth straight conversion to claim victory.
*Sale Sharks finished strongly to give their Champions Cup campaign a lift off with a 35-14 victory over Clermont at Stade Marcel-Michelin.
Responding to their home defeat by Glasgow Warriors on the opening night of the competition, the Sharks built a 20-7 half-time lead through tries by Tom O’Flaherty, South African Marius Louw and Arron Reed.
They were then forced to weather a Clermont storm when Lucas Zamoa crossed in the 47th minute, and at 14-23 down, the fallen European heavyweights were pressing hard to add another score.
However, spirited Sale showed their hunger by scoring a try through Joe Bedlow, and when Alex Wills went over in the 73rd minute, it was all over.
*Elsewhere, Munster secured a 31-3 win over Gloucester, and Bordeaux-Bègles beat Scarlets 50-21.
Clermont Auvergne 14-35 Sale Sharks
The scorers:
For Clermont:
Tries: Fall, Zamora
Cons: Bezy, Zamora
For Sale Sharks:
Tries: O’Flaherty, Louw, Reed, Bedlow, Wills
Cons: Du Preez 2
Pens: Du Preez 2
Yellow card: Arron Reed (Sale Sharks, 44)
Teams:
Clermont: 15 Axel Guillaud, 14 Yerim Fall, 13 Timeo Frier, 12 George Moala, 11 Alivereti Raka, 10 Irae Simone, 9 Sebastien Bezy, 8 Selevasio Tolofua, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Killian Tixeront (captain), 5 Thomas Ceyte, 4 Rob Simmons, 3 Cristian Ojovan, 2 Etienne Fourcade, 1 Sacha Lotrian
Replacements: 16 Seilala Lam, 17 Giorgi Akhaladze, 18 Giga Tutisani, 19 Tevita Ratuva, 20 Pio Muarua, 21 Lucas Zamora, 22 Harry Plummer, 23 Alex Newsome
Sale Sharks: 15 Arron Reed, 14 Tom O’Flaherty, 13 Joe Bedlow, 12 Marius Louw, 11 Alex Wills, 10 Rob du Preez, 9 Raffi Quirke, 8 Ben Curry, 7 Ernst van Rhyn (captain), 6 Jacques Vermeulen, 5 Ben Bamber, 4 Tom Burrow, 3 Willgriff John, 2 Nathan Jibulu, 1 Si McIntyre
Replacements: 16 Ethan Caine, 17 Tumy Onasanya, 18 James Harper, 19 Hyron Andrews, 20 Tristan Woodman, 21 Gus Warr, 22 Ollie Davies, 23 Gurshwin Wehr
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)
Assistant Referees: Franco Rosella (Italy), Manuel Bottino (Italy)
TMO: Stefano Roscini (Italy)
Munster 31-3 Gloucester
The scorers:
For Munster:
Tries: Kelly, Haley, Quinn, Farrell, Beirne
Cons: Crowley 3
For Gloucester:
Pen: Barton
Yellow cards: Jamal Ford-Robinson (Gloucester, 32), Caio James (Gloucester, 67)
Teams:
Munster: 15 Mike Haley, 14 Shane Daly, 13 Dan Kelly, 12 Alex Nankivell, 11 Ben O’Connor, 10 Jack Crowley, 9 Craig Casey, 8 Gavin Coombes, 7 Jack O’Donoghue, 6 Tom Ahern, 5 Tadhg Beirne (captain), 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Michael Ala’alatoa, 2 Niall Scannell, 1 Michael Milne
Replacements: 16 Diarmuid Barron, 17 Josh Wycherley, 18 Conor Bartley, 19 Edwin Edogbo, 20 Ruadhán Quinn, 21 Paddy Patterson, 22 JJ Hanrahan, 23 Tom Farrell
Gloucester: 15 George Barton, 14 Josh Hathaway, 13 Will Knight, 12 Max Knight, 11.Rob Russell, 10 Charlie Atkinson, 9 Mike Austin, 8 Jack Clement, 7 Harry Taylor, 6 Josh Basham, 5 Arthur Clark (captain), 4 Cam Jordan, 3 Jamal Ford-Robinson, 2 Jack Innard, 1 Dian Bleuler
Replacements: 16 Kealan Freeman Price, 17 Ciaran Knight, 18 Afolabi Fasogbon, 19 Danny Eite, 20 Hugh Bokenham, 21 Caio James, 22 Rhys Price, 23 Jack Cotgreave
Referee: Ben Breakspear (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Craig Evans (Wales), Adam Jones (Wales)
TMO: Aled Griffiths (Wales)
Bordeaux-Bègles 50-21 Scarlets
The scorers:
For Bordeaux:
Tries: Jalibert 2, Poitot, Barlot, Jacobs, Ubert, Mousques, Bielle-Biarrey.
Cons: Jalibert 3, Carbery 2
For Scarlets:
Tries: Anderson 2, Thomas
Cons: Hawkins 2, Costelow
Yellow card: Jarrod Taylor (Scarlets, 56)
Teams:
Bordeaux-Bègles: 15 Xan Mousques, 14 Damian Penaud, 13 Pablo Uberti, 12 Yoram Moefana, 11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 10 Matthieu Jalibert, 9 Martin Page-Relo, 8 Temo Matiu, 7 Bastien Vergnes-Taillefer, 6 Tiaan Jacobs, 5 Adam Coleman, 4 Boris Palu, 3 Sipili Falatea, 2 Gaetan Barlot, 1 Jefferson Poirot (captain)
Replacements: 16 Christian Everitt, 17 Matis Perchaud, 18 Ben Tameifuna, 19 Jonny Gray, 20 Romain Gardrat, 21 Arthur Retiere, 22 Joey Carbery, 23 Rohan Janse van Rensburg
Scarlets: 15 Jac Davies, 14 Tomi Lewis, 13 Joe Roberts, 12 Eddie James, 11 Ellis Mee, 10 Joe Hawkins, 9 Dane Blacker, 8 Fletcher Anderson, 7 Dan Davis, 6 Josh Macleod (captain), 5 Jake Ball, 4 Max Douglas, 3 Henry Thomas, 2 Marnus van der Merwe, 1 Alec Hepburn
Replacements: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Kemsley Mathias, 18 Harri O’Connor, 19 Sam Lousi, 20 Jarrod Taylor, 21 Archie Hughes, 22 Sam Costelow, 23 Macs Page
Referee: Morne Ferreira (South Africa)
Assistant Referees: Griffin Colby (South Africa), Christopher Allison (South Africa)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
Glasgow Warriors 28-21 Toulouse
The scorers:
For Glasgow Warriors:
Tries: McKay, Brown, Tuipulotu, Hiddleston
Cons: Hastings 4
For Toulouse:
Tries: Dupont, Gourgues 2
Cons: Ramos 3
Teams:
Glasgow Warriors: 15 Josh McKay, 14 Kyle Steyn (captain), 13 Stafford McDowall, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 Ollie Smith, 10 Adam Hastings, 9 Jamie Dobie, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Rory Darge, 6 Matt Fagerson, 5 Scott Cummings, 4 Max Williamson, 3 Zander Fagerson, 2 Gregor Hiddleston, 1 Nathan McBeth
Replacements: 16 Seb Stephen, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 Sam Talakai, 19 Alex Craig, 20 Gregor Brown, 21 Ally Miller, 22 George Horne, 23 Dan Lancaster
Toulouse: 15 Thomas Ramos, 14 Ange Capuozzo, 13 Paul Costes, 12 Kalvin Gourgues, 11 Blair Kinghorn, 10 Romain Ntamack, 9 Antoine Dupont, 8 Anthony Jelonch, 7 Leo Banos, 6 Jack Willis, 5 Thibaud Flament, 4 Joshua Brennan, 3 Dorian Aldegheri, 2 Julien Marchand (captain), 1 David Ainu’u
Replacements: 16 Thomas Lacombre, 17 Rodrigue Neti, 18 Joel Merkler, 19 Emmanuel Meafou, 20 Mathis Castro-Ferreira, 21 Alexandre Roumat, 22 Paul Graou, 23 Teddy Thomas
Referee: Matthew Carley (England)
Assistant Referees: Hamish Smales (England), John Meredith (England)
TMO: Andrew Jackson (England)
