The match: 20-27
Decidedly, nothing is going any more in Toulon. If the public of Mayol whistled his players after the meager and sad victory against Brive last week, he remained dumbfounded, this time, after the performance of his team which ended with a bang (two tries in the 69th and in the 77th) a match too badly finished to win in front of a Racing 92 team which remained solid, except for a ten-minute air gap (68th-78th).
After the rather modest presentation of the world star Cheslin Kolbe, darling of the Top 14 and reigning world champion, to the public of Mayol, RC Toulon started strong. But only for ten minutes. Before falling back into his faults, namely approximation, feverishness and disorder, even to the point of completely losing control in the 24th, saved by an unexpected penalty.
Faced with these mistakes in the Var, the contrast was striking if we consider the two tests registered by Racing 92 on magnificent perfectly oiled collective movements (Tanga in the 26th, Diallo in the 54th). Add to this the almost metronomic boot of the very young (19 years) scrum half Nolann Le Garrec, author of four penalty goals, and this is how Racing presented itself on the hour mark with a substantial lead, 6-24.
Lost for lost, Toulon then embarked on a last stand which led to a try refused at Sosene-Feagai (68th), before the giant Alainu’Uese scored strongly (69th, 13-24). A goal from Machenaud (75th) allowed Racing 92 to protect themselves from a defeat, which was rather well seen since the center Paia’Aua (77th), with a try, gave hope to the RCT. But too late … With this first fall at home, Toulon sinks a little deeper into the doldrums.
1
This is RCT’s first defeat at home this season, after their first matchday draw against Montpellier (24-24).
The fact: more than an hour of Ile-de-France wall
For sixty-nine minutes, the Var were unable to register the slightest attempt in front of their public, the fault above all in a particularly tight defense in Ile-de-France. Alternating fast reverse climbs and sliding towards the sideline, the Racingmen have mastered the space that their opponents wanted to open. Henry Chavancy’s teammates drowned the Toulon attackers in the intervals, deploying the whole panoply with the precious help of a third-line ubiquitous in the second curtain. Before letting the ribbons float and allowing the RCT to fill part of its handicap.