Toulouse outclass Ospreys
Four-time European Cup winners Toulouse overran Welsh side Ospreys on Saturday with their 30-14, bonus-point victory maintaining their 100 percent record in the pool stages with three wins from three.
The French club's five tries included one from man of the match Vincent Clerc who took his all-time try scoring record in the tournament to 34.
Toulouse have an eight-point lead in Pool Two over Ospreys and Leicester, though, the English side can reduce that should they beat Treviso on Sunday.
Toulouse's Top 14 rivals Toulon also preserved their faultless record beating English side Sale away 17-6 in a disappointing Pool Six encounter – Jonny Wilkinson scoring 12 of their points while David Smith scored the only try of the game.
While Toulouse won easily their general manager Guy Noves conceded that the Welsh side were capable of turning the tables on them in next weekend's return fixture.
"Our target for the home match has been achieved, the bonus point is important and is the cherry on the cake," said Noves, who has guided Toulouse to all four of their European Cup wins, the last of which came in 2010.
"Now we know that it will be very tough at their place."
Toulouse got off to the ideal start running in two early tries, the first by French centre Florian Fritz and the second by their in-form captain Yannick Nyanga.
Fritz burst through a gap in the opposing centres and ran it in from outside the 22 while Nyanga latched onto a poor tap back from a lineout by Ryan Jones and ran in unopposed for a 12-0 lead for the hosts.
However, the Welsh side responded well as they scored a try of their own, scrumhalf and captain, Samoan star Kahn Fotuali'i, breaking a tackle and touching down under the posts.
Dan Biggar kicked the conversion to leave them just five points in arrears at the break.
Despite some terrific Ospreys defence Toulouse's constant pressure finally paid off as Clerc, who scored a hat-trick of tries when the two sides last met eight years ago, went over in the corner after good work by Louis Picamoles for his 34th try in his 69th European Cup appearance.
Luke McAlister missed the conversion to leave the hosts 17-7 ahead with 20 minutes remaining but Census Johnston extended their lead when he barrelled over in the corner after being set up by Picamoles for his first try of the season.
Jean-Marc Doussain, who had replaced McAlister, missed the conversion but France back Yoann Huget rounded off the hosts' scoring with their fifth try just over five minutes from time.
In Pool One, Ronan O'Gara kicked all Munster's points as the 2006 and 2008 champions beat table-toppers Saracens 15-9.
England flyhalf Owen Farrell missed four penalty chances although Saracens stay top on points difference.
Racing Metro beat Edinburgh 19-9 in Paris to stay in contention with the Scots at least having the consolation of scoring their first points in the tournament this season.
Scarlets went down to defeat as English side Exeter – enjoying their maiden season in the competition – won 22-16 in Wales to move third in Pool 5 and leave the hosts with just a point to their name.
The top two clash on Sunday – leaders Clermont hosting two-time defending champions Leinster, who trail their opponents by two points.
We bring you all Saturday's scores and scorers!
Scarlets 16-22 Exeter Chiefs
The scorers:
Scarlets:
Try: Penalty try
Con: Thomas
Pens: Priestland 2, Thomas
Exeter Chiefs:
Try: Thomas
Con: Steenson
Pens: Steenson 5
Yellow card: Ben Moon (Exeter Chiefs, 64)
Teams:
Scarlets: 15 Daniel Newton, 14 Liam Williams, 13 Jonathan Davies (captain), 12 Scott Williams, 11 Andrew Fenby, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Aled Davies, 8 Kieran Murphy, 7 Jonathan Edwards, 6 Aaron Shingler, 5 Richard Kelly, 4 George Earle, 3 Samson Lee, 2 Matthew Rees, 1 Phil John.
Replacements: 16 Ken Owens, 17 Shaun Hopkins, 18 Jacobie Adriaanse, 19 Johan Snyman, 20 Sione Timani, 21 Tavis Knoyle, 22 Aled Thomas, 23 Gareth Maule.
Exeter Chiefs: 15 Luke Arscott, 14 Gonzalo Camacho, 13 Sireli Naqelevuki, 12 Jason Shoemark, 11 Matt Jess, 10 Gareth Steenson, 9 Haydn Thomas, 8 Richard Baxter, 7 James Scaysbrook, 6 Tom Johnson, 5 Damian Welch, 4 Tom Hayes (captain), 3 Hoani Tui, 2 Simon Alcott, 1 Brett Sturgess.
Replacements: 16 Neil Clark, 17 Ben Moon, 18 Carl Rimmer, 19 Aly Muldowney, 20 Dean Mumm, 21 Kevin Barrett, 22 Ignacio Mieres, 23 Ian Whitten.
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
Assistant referees: Jean-Luc Rebollal (France), Jérôme Lamirand (France)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (France)
Toulouse 30-14 Ospreys
The scorers:
Toulouse:
Tries: Fritz, Nyanga, Clerc, Johnston, Huget
Con: McAlister
Pen: Doussain
Ospreys:
Tries: Fotuali'i, Bevington
Cons: Biggar, Morgan
Teams:
Toulouse: 15 Yoann Huget, 14 Maxime Medard, 13 Yann David, 12 Florian Fritz, 11 Vincent Clerc, 10 Luke McAlister, 9 Luke Burgess, 8 Louis Picamoles, 7 Yannick Nyanga (captain), 6 Jean Bouilhou, 5 Patricio Albacete, 4 Romain Millo-Chluski, 3 Census Johnston, 2 Gary Botha, 1 Gurthro Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Christopher Tolofua, 17 Jean-Baptiste Poux, 18 Yohann Montes, 19 Yoann Maestri, 20 Gregory Lamboley, 21 Edwin Maka, 22 Gael Fickou, 23 Jean Marc Doussain.
Ospreys: 15 Richard Fussell, 14 Ross Jones, 13 Andrew Bishop, 12 Ashley Beck, 11 Eli Walker, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Kahn Fotuali'i (captain), 8 Joe Bearman, 7 Justin Tipuric, 6 Ryan Jones, 5 James King, 4 Ian Gough, 3 Campbell Johnstone, 2 Scott Baldwin, 1 Duncan Jones.
Replacements: 16 Matthew Dwyer, 17 Ryan Bevington, 18 Dimitri Arhip, 19 Lloyd Peers, 20 Sam Lewis, 21 Rhys Webb, 22 Matthew Morgan, 23 Thomas Isaacs.
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Shaun Gallagher (Ireland), Kevin Beggs (Ireland)
TMO: Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Zebre 14-57 Harlequins
The scorers:
Zebre:
Tries: Sarto, Chillon
Cons: Orquera 2
Harlequins:
Tries: Smith 2, Easter, Penalty tries 2, Hopper, Buchanan, Botica
Cons: Evans 6, Botica
Pen: Evans
Yellow cards: Mauro Bergamasco (Zebre, 31), Luca Redolfini (Zebre, 63)
Teams:
Zebre: 15 Ruggero Trevisan, 14 Giovanbattista Venditti, 13 Gonzalo Garcia (captain), 12 Matteo Pratichetti, 11 Leonardo Sarto, 10 Luciano Orquera, 9 Tito Tebaldi, 8 Dries van Schalkwyk, 7 Mauro Bergamasco, 6 Nicola Cattina, 5 Josh Sole, 4 Quintin Geldenhuys, 3 Dave Ryan, 2 Carlo Festuccia, 1 Matias Aguero.
Replacements: 16 Davide Giazzon, 17 Salvatore Perugini, 18 Luca Redolfini, 19 Emiliano Caffini, 20 Filippo Ferrarini, 21 Alberto Chillon, 22 Samuele Pace, 23 Paolo Buso.
Harlequins: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Tom Williams, 13 Matt Hopper, 12 Tom Casson, 11 Sam Smith, 10 Nick Evans, 9 Daniel Care, 8 Nick Easter (captain), 7 Luke Wallace, 6 Maurie Fa'asavalu, 5 George Robson, 4 Ollie Kohn, 3 James Johnston, 2 Joe Gray, 1 Mark Lambert.
Replacements: 16 Rob Buchanan, 17 Darryl Marfo, 18 Will Collier, 19 Charlie Matthews, 20 Joe Trayfoot, 21 Karl Dickson, 22 Ben Botica, 23 Ugo Monye.
Referee: Neil Paterson (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Greg Macdonald (England), Bob Nevins (Scotland)
TMO: Jim Yuille (Scotland)
Sale Sharks 6-17 Toulon
The scorers:
Sale Sharks:
Pens: Cipriani 2
Toulon:
Try: Smith
Pens: Wilkinson 4
Teams:
Sale Sharks: 15 Rob Miller, 14 Mark Jennings, 13 Corne Uys, 12 Johnny Leota, 11 Mark Cueto, 10 Danny Cipriani, 9 Will Cliff, 8 Richie Vernon, 7 David Seymour (captain), 6 James Gaskell, 5 Fraser McKenzie, 4 Richie Gray, 3 Tony Buckley, 2 Tommy Taylor, 1 Ross Harrison.
Replacements: 16 Tom Cruse, 17 Eifion Roberts, 18 Vadim Cobilas, 19 Kearnan Myall, 20 Andrew Powell, 21 Nathan Fowles, 22 Tom Holmes, 23 Charlie Amesbury.
Toulon: 15 Delon Armitage, 14 Rudi Wulf, 13 Mathieu Bastareaud, 12 Matt Giteau, 11 David Smith, 10 Jonny Wilkinson (captain), 9 Frederic Michalak, 8 Chris Masoe, 7 Steffon Armitage, 6 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, 5 Jocelino Suta, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Carl Hayman, 2 Sebastien Bruno, 1 Andrew Sheridan.
Replacements: 16 Jean Charles Orioli, 17 Xavier Chiocci, 18 Davit Kubriashvili, 19 Pierrick Gunther, 20 Nick Kennedy, 21 Maxime Mermoz, 22 Sebastien Tillous-Borde, 23 Simon Shaw.
Referee: Leighton Hodges (Wales)
Assistant referees: Gwyn Morris (Wales), Wayne Davies (Wales)
TMO: Nigel Whitehouse (Wales)
Munster 15-9 Saracens
The scorers:
Munster:
Pens: O'Gara 5
Saracens:
Pens: Farrell 3
Yellow cards: Donncha O'Callaghan (Munster, 19), Rhys Gill (Saracens, 19)
Teams:
Munster: 15 Felix Jones, 14 Doug Howlett (captain), 13 Keith Earls, 12 James Downey, 11 Simon Zebo, 10 Ronan O'Gara, 9 Conor Murray, 8 James Coughlan, 7 Peter O'Mahony, 6 David O'Callaghan, 5 Donnacha Ryan, 4 Donncha O'Callaghan, 3 BJ Botha, 2 Mike Sherry, 1 Dave Kilcoyne.
Replacements: 16 Damien Varley, 17 Wian Du Preez, 18 Stephen Archer, 19 Billy Holland, 20 Patrick Butler, 21 Duncan Williams, 22 Ian Keatley, 23 Casey Laulala.
Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Owen Farrell, 12 Bradley Barritt, 11 Chris Wyles, 10 Charlie Hodgson, 9 Neil de Kock, 8 Ernst Joubert, 7 Will Fraser, 6 Kelly Brown, 4 Mouritz Botha, 4 Steve Borthwick (captain), 3 Matt Stevens, 2 Schalk Brits, 1 Rhys Gill.
Replacements: 16 John Smit, 17 Mako Vunipola, 18 Petrus Du Plessis, 19 George Kruis, 20 Andy Saull, 21 Richard Wigglesworth, 22 Joel Tomkins, 23 David Strettle
Referee: Pascal Gauzere (France)
Assistant referees: Christophe Berdos (France), Cyril Lafon (France)
TMO: Jean-Pierre Pellaprat (France)
Racing Métro 92 19-9 Edinburgh
The scorers:
Racing Metro:
Tries: Imhoff, Arous
Pens: Barkley 2, Machenaud
Edinburgh:
Pens: Laidlaw 3
Teams:
Racing Metro 92: 15 Juan Martin Hernandez, 14 Virimi Vakatawa, 13 Guillaume Bousses, 12 Fabrice Estebanez, 11 Juan Imhoff, 10 Olly Barkley, 9 Sebastien Descons, 8 Sakiusa Matadigo, 7 Jacques Cronje (captain), 6 Antoine Battut, 5 Francois Carl van der Merwe, 4 Fabrice Metz, 3 Benjamin Salemane Sa, 2 Thomas Bianchin, 1 Julien Brugnaut.
Replacements: 16 Dimitri Szarzewski, 17 Eddy Ben Arous, 18 Juan Pablo Orlandi, 19 Bernard Le Roux, 20 Jone Qovu Nailiko, 21 Camille Gerondeau, 22 Maxime Machenaud, 23 Alexandre Dumoulin.
Edinburgh: 15 Greig Tonks, 14 Tom Brown, 13 Nick De Luca, 12 Matthew Scott, 11 Tim Visser, 10 Greig Laidlaw (captain), 9 Richie Rees, 8 Stuart McInally, 7 Roddy Grant, 6 Dave Denton, 5 Sean Cox, 4 Grant Gilchrist, 3 Geoff Cross, 2 Ross Ford, 1 John Yapp.
Replacements: 16 Andy Titterrell, 17 Allan Jacobsen, 18 WP Nel, 19 Perry Parker, 20 Robert McAlpine, 21 Piers Francis, 22 Dougie Fife, 23 Lee Jones.
Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Stuart Gaffikin (Ireland), John Carvill (Ireland)
TMO: Dermot Moloney (Ireland)
