THREE-TIME CHAMPIONS Toulon edged Sale 15-5 in the Champions Cup tonight, but their failure to claim a bonus point could prove fatal to their chances of reaching the knockout round.
The French giants scored all of their points in the first quarter of the match and in an underwhelming display on the outskirts of Manchester they were fortunate to escape with a win.
After slumping to a 31-23 home defeat to defending champions Saracens in their tournament opener last weekend Toulon were handed the perfect start on Friday.
Sale flanker Magnus Lund was yellow-carded for a late tackle on Juan Fernandez Lobbe and Toulon pounced, scoring all of their 15 points while their opponents were a man down.
Welsh full-back Leigh Halfpenny popped over the penalty awarded for Lund’s infringement before the French side scored two quickfire tries.
Mamuka Gorgodze smashed through the defensive line to allow Charles Ollivon to score his fifth try of the season, shrugging off a tackle from Peter Stringer, who was playing despite having attended the funeral of former Irish team-mate Anthony Foley earlier in the day.
Halfpenny kicked the conversion before the Welsh star added his team’s second try.
Fly-half Francois Trinh Duc punted a testing crossfield kick deep into the corner where Sale winger Byron McGuigan was unable to gather cleanly.
As the ball dropped, Halfpenny was alert to the opportunity to dart over from close range for his first try of the campaign. Halfpenny was unable to convert from tight on the line.
Toulon were then reduced to 14 men when skipper and No.8 Duane Vermeulen was sin-binned for tripping.
Sale, beaten 28-11 at Sacrlets last week, got on the board when winger Paolo Odogwu sprinted away down the left flank to score after a neat exchange of passes between Mike Haley, Will Addison and Sam James had capitalised on a poor clearing kick from Halfpenny.
Addison missed the conversion as Toulon held on to their 15-5 lead at the interval.
Halfpenny missed a tough penalty early in the second period before Addison saw his own penalty effort, far more easier, hit the post.
Sale were much the better side in the second half but were left to regret not going for the posts on three occasions which could have yielded a crucial nine points.
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Hand sanitizer can kill 99.9% of bacteria ! Paul O Connell can kill 100%
Paul O Connell has a diary it’s called the Guinness book of records
Paul O Connell doesn’t sleep he waits !
Paul O Connell could tie his Rugby boots with his feet
They were going to name a street in Limerick after Paul O Connell but decided that nobody crosses Paul O Connell and lives
@Paul Carew: mother of God. Chuck Norris wants his jokes back.
@Paul Carew: My personal favourite was one I heard about Nemanja Vidic but I’ll re-jig it:
Paul O’Connell once slamed a revolving door shut.
@Robb Stark: you’re right Robb,all above jokes belong to the man Chuck Norris. two of my personal favourites.. Chuck Norris sleeps with a pillow under his gun, and Chuck Norris doesn’t breath in, he lets air out !!!!
@Robb Stark: he can ask Paul for them, wouldn’t fancy his chances though!!
@Paul Carew: wasnt this the Claw??
The Question of Sport moment wow! I’m not a Dawson fan usually but his reaction and comment was funny.
@ThatLJD: I don’t get the surprise about that question of sport answer.. Literally everyone I was watching it with shouted the right team straight away. When we play hangman in school and long team name like this appeared you knew its was Borussia Mönchengladbach just because it was so long out and stood out.
@Brian: OK, I didn’t watch it with many people probably, I also thought it was pretty quick of O’Connell, if I remember properly. I’ve never really played hangman in school, I was always quite busy at ripping up copy books the nerds were playing games in!!
@Brian: shutup Drico.
Hard to believe he went 9 years without scoring a try for Ireland!
@Gareth Ward: I’m sure it wasn’t for lack of trying.
He came into my place of work one time around 2004 I was talking to him for around 10 minutes and I hadn’t a clue who he was, my work colleague who was a big rugby fan was disgusted with me for not knowing him.
@Porter Mechanic: scandalous in fairness!!
@Joe Kennedy: Could have been any massive ginger Incredible Hulk.
This quizzes are my favourite part of the 42 atm. Keep them coming on all sports
I had forgotten he signed a contract with Toulon.
7/10
Those put the fear of god into me…4!
@The Irish Pain: Snap! Im ashamed.
Hand sanitizer can kill 99.9% of bacteria ! Paul O Connell can kill 100%
Paul O Connell has a diary it’s called the Guinness book of records
Paul O Connell doesn’t sleep he waits !
Paul O Connell could tie his Rugby boots with his feet
How many would Paul get right?
@Tom Byrne: 25
Got the important ones.