Toulon win 33-30 against Stade Français Paris!
Rugby Club Toulonnais won 33-30 at the Stade Mayol against Stade Français Paris, on Sunday, January 27th, on day 15 of the Top 14.
Toulon had to put up a strong performance on their home ground and started the game quite well, as they moved the ball in the Parisian side. They had come on the pitch with good intentions and were rewarded by a penalty from François Trinh-Duc at the 13th minute. Toulon led 3-0.
Then, Stade Français had possession for about ten minutes and, after repeated moves, Sanchez pierced through the backline as he pretended to pass the ball. He then found flanker Hendre Stassen, who took advantage of free space to score the game’s first try. 3-7 to Stade Français.
As the Parisians were close to the Toulon in-goal area, Nicolas Sanchez tried a difficult pass and the ball was picked up by Daniel Ikpefan, who scored a try from eighty metres out. Toulon were back in the lead: 10-7.
Before half-time, the home side was penalised and Stade Français were level again: 10 apiece at half-time.
Our men in red and black started the second half well and scored another penalty after a foul by the Parisians. But Stade Français had most of the possession again and, at the 50th minute, the ball was cleared and Nicolas Sanchez, who put up a strong performance, scored his side’s second try as he scraped through Julian Savea’s tackle: 13-17 to Stade Français.
A few minutes later, after Toulon won the ball, Tuisova made a superb pass to Filipo Nakosi, who got rid of Sanchez before scoring the try. Despite the wind, Trinh-Duc converted it and Toulon led 20-17.
At the 61st minute, after a long move by Stade Français, Toulon player Mamuka Gorgodze picked up a yellow card for inappropriate language, while Sanchez converted a twenty-five-metre penalty. The two teams were level: 20-20.
Despite the onslaughts of Stade Français, Toulon defended well and were even given a scrum. However, it was poorly carried out and Stade Français wing Etien picked up the ball and scored his team’s third try: 20-27 to Stade Français.
At the 75th minute, Jonathan Danty was penalised and picked up a yellow card for a high tackle on Julian Savea. Luis Carbonel scored the penalty from thirty metres and Toulon were within four points of Stade Français. The visiting team then tried to keep the ball and Jules Plisson, who had just made his appearance on the pitch, scored a drop goal and temporarily deprived Toulon of a bonus point for a narrow defeat: 23-30.
Immediately after, Bruce Devaux picked up the ball after a forward pass by Paul Gabrillagues and, after the ball was moved on the blind side, Louis Carbonel scraped through the backline to score a try. Unfortunately, the young fly-half did not convert it and Stade Français were still leading 28-30.
But then, the incredible happened: Liam Messam took the ball from his side and dodged the Parisian tackle attempts to give the ball to Filipo Nakosi, who kicked the ball and resisted the Parisian backline, while trying to keep his balance, before grounding the ball in the in-goal area. The try gave Toulon a 33-30 victory!
Stade Français were in control of the game, but they were caught up in the end after sensational moves by Carbonel and Nakosi. Toulon remain in 11th spot in the Top 14, level with Pau, and will play their next game away against Agen, in three weeks’ time.