Toulon too strong for Bath
MATCH REPORT: Bath Rugby fell to a 35-23 defeat to RC Toulon at Kingsholm Stadium on Sunday as the visitors secured their passage to the Challenge Cup Round of 16.
The hosts, who were forced to play away from their usual home due to flooding, managed two tries from Matt Gallagher and one exceptional individual score from Ted Hill.
But Toulon proved too strong, notching a penalty try inside the first minute before crossing through Thomas Salles, Cheslin Kolbe and Adrien Warion. Dan Biggar also kicked a crucial 13 points.
Bath got off to a poor start, and were down to 14 men amid a yellow card shown to Dave Attwood after Toulon’s penalty try.
Orlando Bailey kicked a penalty for Bath three minutes later, but Toulon turned on the style as they put together an impressive passing move to cross for their second score on 10 minutes, Salles finishing clinically.
Bath finally got their breakthrough on 33 minutes when Gallagher crossed following some strong carries, but a penalty from Toulon’s Biggar meant the English side went in 15-8 down at the break.
Bath burst out the blocks at the start of the second half, but Toulon’s defence was equal to them and a 45th minute penalty was the closest the hosts could get, Bailey dragging wide.
By contrast, Biggar stepped up to extend Toulon’s lead to ten points on 56 minutes, and that gap became 17 moments later when a quick penalty kicked through the Bath line was snatched up by Kolbe, who strolled under the posts before the Wales fly-half added the extras.
Bath’s pressure told on 66 minutes when a lofted pass out wide allowed Gallagher to dot down in the corner for his second try, but once again the conversion was missed – this time by Piers Francis.
Almost immediately after the restart, Bath recovered the ball and got themselves within five points; Hill broke through, punted forward and collected to cross, with Francis converting this time.
Yet shortly after, Biggar slotted a penalty to put Toulon 28-20 up, although Francis responded with long-range three-pointer to give the English side hope with four minutes to go.
But it was not to be; Bath went long with a last-minute lineout which was intercepted by the visitors, Warion streaking clear to score before Biggar converted to confirm their victory and passage to the Round of 16.
Bath now face a trip to Scotland to tackle Glasgow Warriors in their final pool stage match on Friday, with Toulon hosting Zebre Parma on the same day.
The scorers
For Bath
Tries: Gallagher (2), Hill
Cons: Francis
Pens: Bailey, Francis
For the Toulon
Tries: Salles, Kolbe, Warion, Penalty
Cons: Biggar (2)
Pens: Biggar (3)
Yellow cards: Dave Attwood (Bath, 1’)
Bath: 15 Matt Gallagher, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Cameron Redpath, 11 Ruaridh McConnochie, 10 Orlando Bailey, 9 Ben Spencer (captain), 8 Josh Bayliss, 7 Sam Underhill, 6 Ted Hill, 5 Fergus Lee-Warner, 4 Dave Attwood, 3 D’Arcy Rae, 2 Tom Dunn, 1 Valery Morozov
Replacements: 16 Niall Annett, 17 Lewis Boyce, 18 Johannes Jonker, 19 Will Spencer, 20 Miles Reid, 21 Louis Schreuder, 22 Piers Francis, 23 Chris Cloete.
Toulon: 15 Thomas Salles, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Duncan Paia’aua, 12 Maëlan Rabut, 11 Aymeric Luc, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Baptiste Serin, 8 Jules Coulon, 7 Charles Ollivon (captain), 6 Raphael Lakafia, 5 Brian Alainu’uese, 4 Matthias Halagahu, 3 Beka Gigashvili, 2 Teddy Baubigny, 1 Dany Priso
Replacements: 16 Anthony Etrillard, 17 Bruce Devaux, 18 Kieran Brookes, 19 Adrien Warion, 20 Sergio Parisse, 21 Jules Danglot, 22 Ihaia West, 23 Jiuta Naqoli Wainiqolo.
Referee: Chris Busby (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Dan Carson (Ireland) & Aimee Barrett-Theron (South Africa)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ireland)
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