Toulon 22
(19)
Castres 15 (6)
The combined power
of Toulon's pack and Jonny Wilkinson's boot combined to
send the Cote d'Azur club to a satisfying 22-15 home win
against Castres on Friday night.
The victory was
Toulon's in succession in the league and sends them into
next weekend's Heineken Cup debut in fine spirits after
continuing their recovery from a sticky start to the
current Top 14 campaign.
Top 14 League Table
Wilkinson kicked 17 points
on the night - via four penalties, a drop-goal and a
conversion - with Toulon's other effort being a penalty
try while they exerted inexorable forward pressure
during Steve Malonga's spell in the sin-bin shortly
before half time. Wilkinson has now amassed an
impressive 135 points for Toulon in just eight starts
this season, while lucky mascot Joe El-Abd continued his
own wining streak. The former Bristol player has started
six games for Toulon this season, and they have won
every time.
Leading try and point-scorers in Top 14
Wilkinson and Castres
full-back Romain Teulet traded an early penalty each
before the former put Toulon on course for a 19-6
half-time lead with an opportunist drop-goal - his ninth
of the season - on 15 minutes. Toulon's front row
dominance earned the England fly-half two further
successful penalty attempts in the next quarter of an
hour before Malonga's late tackle on the 31-year-old set
up the hosts for their 38th-minute penalty-try after a
series of 5m scrums.
Wilko, inevitably, kicked
the conversion, while Teulet pulled three points back
for the visitors with his second success of the half.
The second half was a more
scrappy affair with Castres outscoring their hosts by
three penalties to one to earn a valuable defensive
bonus, but Toulon will be happy with their fourth
straight success as they ready themselves for the
Ospreys at home in next weekend's eagerly anticipated
Heineken debut.
Castres are also in
Heineken Cup action next weekend, but they will travel
to Northampton Saints with slightly less optimism after
slipping to their fifth away defeat from five so far
this season.
| |
Toulon |
Castres |
|
Tries |
Penalty try |
- |
|
Conv |
Wilkinson |
- |
|
Pens |
Wilkinson (4) |
Teulet (4), Bai |
|
Drop-goals |
Wilkinson |
- |
