Top 14: Five-try Toulon run Mont-de-Marsan
ragged to leap clear of the relegation zone
30 January 2009
Toulon 38 (13) Mont-de-Marsan 22 (19)
Struggling Toulon turned on the style to run in five tries
against their relegation rivals Mont-de-Marsan, catapulting
themselves up to 11th position in the process.
Martin
Jagr and Sinoti Sinoti scored two tries apiece, with rugby
league convert Sonny Bill Williams adding the other after a
mazy 45m run that left six defenders trailing in his wake.
The home
side belied their recent travails, especially in a dazzling
second half, and it seems the threat alone of Tana Umaga
pulling back on his boots was enough to bring the best out
of his charges. Best not be shown up by the boss, and on
this form there wasn't really much danger of that. Umaga had
planned to play but was frustrated by a delayed letter of
clearance from the New Zealand federation - but after this
display he may not be required.
And yet
it had been a nervous start by Umaga's team as they slipped
to an early 6-0 deficit courtesy of Yannick Laforgue's
second-minute drop goal and Damien Cler's monster 53m
penalty just six minutes later.
The
raucous home crowd urged their team on but the tetchy
opening resulted in South African Ross Skeate seeing yellow
for a punch after 13 minutes.
If that
was the sign for further hardship then Toulon's players had
clearly not read the script. Within 60 seconds they had
registered their opening try of the evening when Czech
winger Jagr raced over in the corner after good work from
Sinoti and livewire scrum-half Matt Henjak.
Tusi
Pisi missed the resulting conversion to leave Toulon still
one point adrift, and fortune turned against them shortly
after when centre Kiri Mariner knocked on to present
Jean-Marc Mazzoneto with a 70m run-in.
Lafforgue, who had a superb night with his place kicking,
then added the extras to put Mont-de-Marsan 13-5 up and
potentially on course for their first away win of the
season.
The
scoreline was harsh on Toulon and they soon narrowed the gap
again when Sinoti, this time, capitalised on some excellent
handling by full-back Orene Ai'i to touch down out wide.
Pisi again missed with the tricky conversion but was spot on
with a penalty on the stroke of half-time after Lafforgue
had already added another brace for the visitors.
The
combined result was a 19-13 interval advantage for Les
Montois and hopes of further damage after Henjak was shown
yellow for a high and late tackle.
But once
more the hosts defied their numerical disadvantage and
scored their second try while down to 14 after Williams
underlined why he was such hot property when he
controversially moved to Toulon in the summer. The uber-talented
centre left a wake of destruction as he weaved his way
through six defenders en route to a thrilling score.
This
time Pisi did get the conversion, and five minutes later
Toulon took the lead for the first time on the night when
Williams set up Jagr for his second score with a delectable
reverse pass. At 25-22 it also meant the home side were on
course for a precious bonus point after posting four tries.
The
second-half dominance continued with Sinoti's 62nd-minute
score and with Pisi adding the conversion and two later
penalties the triumph was complete.
Both
teams had started the evening level-bottom on 20 points but
80 minutes later and Toulon's season had been rejuvenated
with their best performance this campaign. Their five-point
haul also lifted them up to the dizzy heights of 11th.
It
capped an incredible week for Mourad Boudjellal's previously
underperforming club and underlined the potential that lies
in its talented backline. All it needs now is someone of
international experience to step into the centres.
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