No favours as Toulouse's win over Sale ends Sharks' play-off dream
SATURDAY WRAP: Toulouse avoided a shock Champions Cup exit by recording a record 77-7 win over Sale Sharks on Saturday.
The 70-point winning margin at Stade Toulousain surpassed Sale’s previous record loss – an 8-58 defeat by Wasps in 2000.
A Sale Sharks’ victory would have knocked out the six-time winners and handed the Sharks a spot in the last round of 16.
However, the Top 14 leaders scored 11 tries for the comfortable win.
Kalvin Gourgues added Toulouse’s bonus-point try in the closing stages of the first half after Emmanuel Meafou, Julien Marchand and Antoine Dupont all crossed.
Sale’s Tom Curtis converted his own consolation score early in the second period before tries from Dimitri Delibes, Matthis Lebel, Thomas Ramos and Paul Graou stretched the hosts’ advantage.
After France star Dupont crossed for his second try of the game, Joshua Brennan and Lebel completed the scoring, with Ramos landing all 11 conversions.
In the other fixture, Leinster battled to a 22-13 win at Bayonne, which secured home advantage in the last 16 of the Champions Cup.
Bayonne – who had lost their opening three games, including to both Leicester and Harlequins – took an early lead at Stade Jean Dauger through a breakaway try from Sireli Maqala in the 14th minute before Harry Byrne’s penalty got Leinster, already qualified from Pool 3, on the board.
After Joshua Kenny just failed to take the ball and go over in the corner, a long-range penalty from Joris Segonds put the French side further ahead. Thomas Clarkson then saw his 33rd-minute try disallowed for a double movement as Bayonne went into half-time 10-3 in front.
Bayonne’s Herschel Jantjies was shown a yellow card in the 49th minute for a deliberate knock on. Leinster made the most of their advantage when Dan Sheehan slid over in the 56th minute and Byrne nailed the conversion to bring the visitors level at 10-10.
Segonds kicked another penalty on the hour to swiftly restore Bayonne’s lead, which looked to have been wiped out when Jimmy O’Brien charged onto a kick from Sam Prendergast and went down in the corner – only for his try to be ruled out by the TMO for failing to ground the ball as he was tackled over the line.
Leinster produced a strong finish as Prendergast latched onto Byrne’s chipped pass under the posts and then Max Deegan crossed in the corner to make sure of another hard-earned win to maintain their 100 percent record at the top of the group.
Meanwhile,
Munster saw their hopes of Champions Cup progress end with an agonising 29-31 defeat by Castres at Thomond Park.
Castres – who had also lost two of their opening three games in Pool 2 – got on the board early through a penalty from Jeremy Fernandez before Vuate Karawalevu went over from close range. Munster responded in the 17th minute through a converted try from Craig Casey after a flowing team move.
Munster completed the turnaround in the 35th minute when Casey went over again, coming off the back of a rolling maul following a lineout, but Castres regrouped with a well-taken try from full-back Theo Chabouni, claiming his own kick, to go into half-time with a 17-12 lead.
The home side got themselves back on level terms soon after the restart when Thaakir Abrhams dived over in the corner, but Jack Crowley could not land the extras from out on the right. Edwin Edogbo then added a bonus-point try just before the hour to move Munster ahead 22-17.
After Tom Farrell was shown a yellow card for an illegal clearout, Castres produced a strong finish with tries from Geoffrey Palis and then Christian Ambadiang.
With five minutes left, Castres lock Leone Nakarawa was sent to the sin bin, and Munster got another try as Edogbo barged over to close within two points, but came up just short.
Elsewhere, Gloucester’s Champions Cup hopes suffered a knockout blow as Toulon dumped them from the tournament by winning 31-14 at Kingsholm.
The French side did not look back following early tries by wings Gael Drean and Mathis Ferte, with Gloucester never seriously threatening a meaningful fightback.
Flanker Lewis Ludlam also crossed for the visitors during a one-sided opening half as they guaranteed themselves a home tie in the round of 16, before Drean added an 80th-minute bonus-point clincher.
Gloucester, despite touchdowns from Jack Clement and Tomos Williams, with George Barton converting both, were largely shut out, and Toulon fullback Marius Domon’s goalkicking – four conversions and a penalty – kept his side in the driving seat.
Bayonne 13-22 Leinster
The scorers:
For Bayonne:
Try: Maqala
Con: Segonds
Pens: Segonds 2
For Leinster:
Tries: Sheehan, Prendergast, Deegan
Cons: Byrne 2
Pen: Byrne
Teams
Avion Bayonnias:15 Cheikh Tiberghien, 14 Tom Spring, 13 Sireli Maqala, 12 Manu Tuilagi, 11 Yohan Orabe, 10 Joris Segonds, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Nika Lomidze, 7 Arthur Iturria (captain), 6 Alexandre Fischer,5 Lucas Paulos, 4 Ewan Johnson, 3 Junior Tagi, 2 Lucas Martin, 1 Ignacio Calles
Replacements: 16 Facundo Bosch, 17 Emosi Tumania, 18 Emerick Setiano, 19 Alvaro Garcia Iandolino, 20 Baptiste Heguy, 21 Manex Ariceta, 22 Guillaume Martocq, 23 Victor Hannoun
Leinster:15 Jimmy O’Brien, 14 Tommy O’Brien, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Robbie Henshaw, 11 Joshua Kenny, 10 Harry Byrne, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Caelan Doris (captain), 7 Josh van der Flier, 6 Max Deegan, 5 James Ryan, 4 RG Snyman, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Ronan Kelleher, 1 Jack Boyle
Replacements: 16 Dan Sheehan, 17 Jerry Cahir, 18 Tom Clarkson, 19 Joe McCarthy, 20 Scott Penny, 21 Luke McGrath, 22 Sam Prendergast, 23 Rieko Ioane
Referee: Luke Pearce (England)
Assistant referees: Joe James (England), Jonathan Healy (England)
TMO: Stuart Terheege (England)
Toulouse 77-7 Sale Sharks
The scorers:
For Toulouse:
Tries: Meafou, Marchand, Dupont 2, Gourgues, Delibes, Lebel 2, Ramos, Graou, Brennan
Cons: Ramos 11
For Sale Sharks
Try: Curtis
Con: Curtis
Teams
Stade Toulousain: 15 Thomas Ramos, 14 Dimitri Delibes, 13 Kalvin Gourgues, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 11 Matthis Lebel, 10 Blair Kinghorn, 9 Antoine Dupont (captain), 8 Anthony Jelonch, 7 Jack Willis, 6 Leo Banos, 5 Emmanuel Meafou, 4 Thibaud Flament, 3 Dorian Aldegheri, 2 Julien Marchand, 1 Cyril Baille
Replacements: 16 Peato Mauvaka, 17 Rodrigue Neti, 18 Paul Mallez, 19 Joshua Brennan, 20 Alexandre Roumat, 21 François Cros, 22 Paul Graou, 23 Teddy Thomas
Sale Sharks: 15 Ollie Davies, 14 Obi Ene, 13 Rekeiti Ma’asi-White, 12 Marius Louw (captain), 11 Alex Wills, 10 Tom Curtis, 9 Gus Warr, 8 Sam Dugdale, 7 Tristan Woodman, 6 Jos Gilmore, 5 Hyron Andrews, 4 Tom Burrow, 3 James Harper, 2 Nathan Jibulu, 1 Bevan Rodd
Replacements: 16 Ethan Caine, 17 Si McIntyre, 18 Patreece Bell, 19 Patrick Hogg, 20 Reuben Logan, 21 Dom Hanson, 22 Joe Bedlow, 23 Regan Grace
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Peter Martin (Ireland), Padraic Reidy (Ireland)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ireland)
Munster 29-31 Castres Olympique
The scorers:
For Munster:
Tries: Casey 2, Abrahams, Edogbo 2
Cons: Crowley 2
For Castres Olympique:
Tries: Karawalevu, Chabouni, Palis, Ambadiang
Cons: Fernandez 2, Herve 2
Pen: Fernandez
Yellow cards: Tom Farrell (Munster, 63), Leone Nakarawa (Castres, 75)
Teams
Stade Toulousain: 15 Thomas Ramos, 14 Dimitri Delibes, 13 Kalvin Gourgues, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 11 Matthis Lebel, 10 Blair Kinghorn, 9 Antoine Dupont (captain), 8 Anthony Jelonch, 7 Jack Willis, 6 Leo Banos, 5 Emmanuel Meafou, 4 Thibaud Flament, 3 Dorian Aldegheri, 2 Julien Marchand, 1 Cyril Baille
Replacements: 16 Peato Mauvaka, 17 Rodrigue Neti, 18 Paul Mallez, 19 Joshua Brennan, 20 Alexandre Roumat, 21 François Cros, 22 Paul Graou, 23 Teddy Thomas
Sale Sharks: 15 Ollie Davies, 14 Obi Ene, 13 Rekeiti Ma’asi-White, 12 Marius Louw (captain), 11 Alex Wills, 10 Tom Curtis, 9 Gus Warr, 8 Sam Dugdale, 7 Tristan Woodman, 6 Jos Gilmore, 5 Hyron Andrews, 4 Tom Burrow, 3 James Harper, 2 Nathan Jibulu, 1 Bevan Rodd
Replacements: 16 Ethan Caine, 17 Si McIntyre, 18 Patreece Bell, 19 Patrick Hogg, 20 Reuben Logan, 21 Dom Hanson, 22 Joe Bedlow, 23 Regan Grace
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Peter Martin (Ireland), Padraic Reidy (Ireland)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ireland)
Gloucester 14-31 Toulon
The scorers:
For Gloucester:
Tries: Clement, Williams
Cons: Barton 2
For Toulon:
Tries: Drean 2, Ferte, Ludlam
Cons: Domon 4
Pen: Domon
Teams
Gloucester: 15 George Barton, 14 Josh Hathaway, 13 Will Butler, 12 Seb Atkinson, 11 Jack Cotgreave, 10 Charlie Atkinson, 9 Tomos Williams (captain), 8 Jack Clement, 7 Lewis Ludlow, 6 Will Trenholm, 5 Matias Alemanno, 4 Danny Eite, 3 Nepo Laulala,2 Will Crane, 1 Dian Bleuler
Replacements: 16 George Knowles, 17 Val Rapava Ruskin, 18 Ciaran Knight, 19 Deian Gwynne, 20 James Venter, 21 Mike Austin, 22 Ross Byrne, 23 Jake Morris
RC Toulon: 15 Marius Domon, 14 Gaël Drean, 13 Nacho Brex, 12 Oliver Cowie, 11 Mathis Ferte, 10 Tomas Albornoz, 9 Ben White, 8 Zach Mercer, 7 Charles Ollivon, 6 Lewis Ludlam, 5 Brian Alainu’uese, 4 David Ribbans, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 2 Teddy Baubigny, 1 Jean-Baptiste Gros
Replacements: 16 Jeremy Toevalu, 17 Leo Ametlla, 18 Dany Priso, 19 Giorgi Javakhia, 20 Esteban Abadie, 21 Baptiste Serin, 22 Matéo Garcia, 23 Jérémy Sinzelle
Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Andrew Cole (Ireland), Keane Davison (Ireland)
TMO: Leo Colgan (Ireland)
