Toulouse stay top
CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: Toulouse claimed a 42-27 bonus-point victory over Wasps at Stade Ernest Wallon, Toulouse, on Saturday and remain top of Pool One.
Wasps gave the French club a run for their money in the rain, but in the end the hosts were just too strong and made it four wins from as many matches.
It was an excellent start for Toulouse, who exploited a youthful Wasps line early on and Yoann Huget made the intercept and grabbed the opening try.
Wasps quickly went into a five-point lead of their own, when Billy Searle first slotted a penalty kick and then they forced the overlap out wide minutes later – finding Josh Bassett who sauntered over the try line. Searle again booted over the conversion.
After 15 minutes though, Joe Tekori took advantage of a lovely breakaway and offload from Antione Dupont, beating off the last defender and scoring at the posts.
Sofiane Guitone – who has been so impressive in this season’s competition – then burst into the Wasps 22-metre before the ball found Jerome Kaino out wide, who passed inside to Romain Ntamack for the try.
Willie Le Roux then got in on the act, after a delightful breakaway from Elliot Daly inside his own 22, that made the try for the South African, gifting Searle the simple conversion.
Both sides then landed penalties to make the score 22-20, but that was as good as it got for Wasps.
Antoine Dupont and Ross Neal hit for converted tries at the start of the second half, before Toulouse started to dominate proceedings.
Two penalty kicks from Thomas Ramos either side of a Dupont try meant the home side ran out 15-point winners, keeping them top of Pool One with two matches remaining.
Toulouse travel to defending champions Leinster in Round Five, in what could be a Pool One decider.
Wasps travel to face Bath in the next round.
The scorers:
For Toulouse:
Tries: Huget, Tekori, Ntamack, Dupont 2
Cons: Ramos 4
Pens: Ramos 3
For Wasps:
Tries: Bassett, Le Roux, Neal
Cons: Searle 3
Pens: Searle 2
Teams:
Toulouse: 15 Thomas Ramos, 14 Yoann Huget, 13 Sofiane Guitoune, 12 Romain Ntamack, 11 Cheslin Kolbe, 10 Zack Holmes, 9 Antoine Dupont, 8 Jerome Kaino, 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Francois Cros, 5 Joe Tekori, 4 Florian Verhaeghe, 3 Dorian Aldegheri, 2 Julien Marchand (captain), 1 Clément Castets.
Replacements: 16 Peato Mauvaka, 17 Lucas Pointud, 18 Maks Van Dyk, 19 Gillian Galan, 20 Carl Axtens, 21 Sébastien Bézy, 22 Maxime Mermoz, 23 Maxime Médard.
Wasps: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Ross Neal, 13 Elliot Daly, 12 Michael Le Bourgeois, 11 Josh Bassett, 10 Billy Searle, 9 Craig Hampson, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Thomas Young, 6 Ben Morris, 5 Kearnan Myall, 4 Charlie Matthews, 3 Kieran Brookes, 2 Ashley Johnson (captain), 1 Ben Harris.
Replacements: 16 Antonio Harris, 17 Zurabi Zhvania, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Will Rowlands, 20 Tom Willis, 21 Will Porter, 22 Lima Sopoaga, 23 Michele Campagnaro.
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Dan Jones (Wales), Wayne Davies (Wales)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (Ireland)
Source: @ChampionsCup
