Falcons shock Toulon in France to make history
CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: Newcastle Falcons pulled off one of the biggest shocks in European rugby history to beat RC Toulon at Stade Mayol 26-25 in the opening round of the Champions Cup.
The English side becomes just the second side to beat Toulon on their turf and join Saracens in an elite club.
Toulon – who have never failed to progress from the pool stage – got off to the dream start, scoring after just 21 seconds, courtesy of Romain Taofifenua charging down Micky Young’s box kick.
France international Francois Trinh-Duc added the extras and minutes later slotted over a penalty to give the home side a 10-0 lead.
But Newcastle bounced back immediately, with hooker Kyle Cooper bulldozing himself over the whitewash after excellent phase work from the forwards.
Joel Hodgson – who was sublime throughout at flyhalf – ensured the try was converted and added two penalties to put his side 16-10 up.
Toulon captain Raphael Lakafia took it upon himself to get his side back into the match and crossed the line minutes before half-time.
Trinh-Duc failed to put add the two points and the French giants went into the break 15-16 down.
The second-half produced constant drama and Newcastle were awarded a penalty try after Sinoti Sinoti was tackled high, which resulted in fullback Daniel Ikpefan being sin-binned.
Hodgson joined the Frenchman in the bin a few minutes later, after deliberately knocking the ball on and Toulon took advantage straight away, scoring courtesy of Guirado smashing through Falcons’ defence.
Trinh-Duc converted the hooker’s try and proceeded to slot a penalty over to put the French outfit into the lead.
With minutes remaining, Julian Savea was shown a yellow card by referee Ben Whitehouse and Hodgson kicked over a penalty to give Newcastle the lead.
The away side hung on in a raucous atmosphere and in their first match in Europe’s elite club competition in 13 years, claimed a monumental victory.
Newcastle host Montpellier at Kingston Park next Sunday, while Toulon travel to Edinburgh on Saturday.
The scorers:
For Toulon:
Tries: R Taofifenua, Lakafia, Guirado
Cons: Trinh-Duc 2
Pens: Trinh-Duc 2
For Newcastle:
Tries: Cooper, penalty try
Con: Hodgson
Pens: Hodgson 4
Yellow cards: Jean-Baptiste Gros (Toulon, 31); Daniel Ikpefan (Toulon, 50); Joel Hodgson (Newcastle Falcons; 54); Julian Savea (Toulon, 67)
Teams:
Toulon: 15 Daniel Ikpefan, 14 Josua Tuisova, 13 JP Pietersen, 12 Anthony Belleau, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Francois Trinh-Duc, 9 Eric Escande, 8 Raphael Lakafia (captain), 7 Stephane Onambele, 6 Jean Monribot, 5 Romain Taofifenua, 4 Swan Rebbadj, 3 Marcel van der Merwe, 2 Guilhem Guirado, 1 Jean-Baptiste Gros.
Replacements: 16 Anthony Etrillard, 17 Xavier Chiocci, 18 Sébastien Taofifenua, 19 Jacques Potgieter, 20 Malakai Fekitoa, 21 Hugo Bonneval, 22 Anthony Meric, 23 Florent Vanverberghe.
Newcastle: 15 Alex Tait, 14 Tom Arscott, 13 Tom Penny, 12 Johnny Williams, 11 Sinoti Sinoti, 10 Joel Hodgson, 9 Michael Young, 8 Nemani Nagusa, 7 Gary Graham, 6 Mark Wilson (captain), 5 Glen Young, 4 Will Witty, 3 David Wilson, 2 Kyle Cooper, 1 Sami Mavinga.
Replacements: 16 George McGuigan, 17 Adam Brocklebank, 18 Logovi’i Mulipola, 19 Ryan Burrows, 20 Callum Chick, 21 Sonatane Takulua, 22 Brett Connon, 23 Pedro Bettencourt.
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
Assistant referees: Craig Evans (Wales), Wayne Davies (Wales)
TMO: Neil Patterson (Scotland)
