Updated at 22.44
TOULON HELD on despite a late red card to win 24-14 at the Stormers in their opening Pool 4 match in the rugby Champions Cup.
Earlier in Durban, South Africa captain Siya Kolisi scored two of his side’s five tries as the Durban-based Sharks comfortably beat English side Exeter 39-21 in Pool 1.
While conditions in South Africa were warm and sunny, the wind and rain shaped the three games in Pool 3.
In the English Midlands, Northampton thrashed visiting Castres 38-8 and Saracens cruised past the Bulls 27-5 in north London.
In Pool 2, French side Clermont also opened with a bonus-point win as they beat Treviso 28-0.
At Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Toulon jumped into a fourth-minute lead with a try by Gabin Villiere but Warrick Gelant and Joseph Dweba replied and the hosts led 14-10 at the break.
Toulon regained the lead with a try by No. 8 Facunda Isa and padded their lead when scrum half Baptiste Serin surprised the hosts with a quick tapped penalty and bulled over after 64 minutes.
Toulon were reduced to 14 men after Yannick Youyoutte, chasing a kick, flattened Manie Libbok with a high tackle in the 71st minute.
Three minutes later, Marius Domon of the Stormers was shown a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on and Toulon hung on.
In Northampton, Juarno Augustus scored two tries for the hosts.
“We prepared for these conditions and we tried to play the game tighter and run the ball,” Augustus, Northampton’s No. 8, told Premier Sport.
Henry Pollock, a 19-year-old flanker, touched down after a powerful run on his European debut.
“That guy has a bright future,” said Augustus. “He’s unreal.”
Northampton and England scrum-half Alex Mitchell made his first start of the season after a neck injury.
- ‘Balls kicked backwards’ -
At Saracens, the Bulls took a 10th-minute lead with a try from Sebastian de Klerk but Rhys Carre responded before half-time.
“The first half was difficult against the wind, balls were getting kicked backwards and things like that,” said Saracens captain Nick Isiekwe.
England trio Jamie George, Tom Willis and Ben Earl all touched down in the second half.
“With the wind, it was a little easier to get out of our half and get territory,” said Isiekwe.
In Durban, Exeter hooker Dan Frost bundled over for the first try in the 13th minute. But Phepsi Buthelezi and Springbok duo Makazole Mapimpi and Grant Williams all scored in a six-minute burst for the hosts before Kolisi gave the home side a 26-7 lead, and a bonus point, after 37 minutes.
Frost and England wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso touched down for the Chiefs in the second half, either side of Kolisi’s second try.
Later, Glasgow beat Sale 38-19 with George Horne claiming three of the five first-half tries for the Scottish hosts who earned a bonus point.
And French capital outfit Racing 92 eventually broke Harlequins’ resistance in Paris with 11 second-half points for a 23-12 win.
They obviously have to big up their own man but that’s nonsense talk from the Clare boys there. Conlon hasn’t even won a Munster title, as decent as he has been. Tommy Walsh, Brian Whelehan and Ken McGrath all well ahead of him in this particular debate, and there’s probably many more.
@Aidan Farrell: Is a Munster title the reason you’re excluding Conlon…sure neither did Tommy Walsh or Brian Whelehan? does that mean they’re out of the reckoning…? And on the off chance All Irelands come into you’re thinking…how many did Ken McGrath win in the end? 2 less than Conlon I believe.
All great players by the way but with John Conlon’s overall honours in the game over a 12-13 year career he has to be in the discussion.
@Niall F: I’m saying John Conlon has never won a Munster title in all the years he has played for Clare. He has won a couple of back door All-Irelands and all credit to him for that. Saying he’s a better, more versatile hurler than the likes of Tommy Walsh is ludicrous. Look at what Walsh has won in the game. Provincial medals, front door All-Irelands and All Stars in multiple lines of the field.
@Aidan Farrell: players win all irelands because essentially they have great players around them. Ken mc grath and john conlon may not have had that luxury in comparison to tommy walsh say. John conlon hugely influenced clare in every position he played in and dominated huge games whether at centre forward, full forward or centre back. Definitely one of the greatest versatile players in the last 12 years. Many of the greats in that period were in a specialist position so for me, the view of john conlans greatness in terms of versatility is a valid one. To come back the way he did after a serious knee injury after 10 years of inter County hurling in his 30s was extraordinary.
All these clare lads havent pucked a ball against Limerick in last 3 munster finals.
@Sean: there was hardly a puck of a ball between them on most occasions during Limerick s success over the last 6 years.two great teams. Clare had chances to beat Limerick on three occasions since 2019 having beaten them in 2018 and 2023……Limerick looked buried with 20 minutes to go in ennis this year. Bar the munster final this year, all other games in the championship could have been won by either side….again, 2 incredible teams
@Seamus kelly: This Limerick team have won 5 All-Irelands and 6 Munster titles. This Clare team has a solitary All-Ireland. Wouldn’t describe both as incredible. One is, the other most certainly is not.
That’s Tommy Walsh, next!
@colmkearney39@hotmail.com: Tommy played the majority of his career at wing back.
Surely, it’s Ken McGrath. Played everywhere from full forward to full back for Waterford
@John Fitz: hard to look beyond Ken McGrath…Declan Hannon definitely worth a mention as well!!
Brian Corcoran end of discussion
Willie John Daly comparable to John Conlon in that he also played right half forward
and centre back in All Ireland finals.
What about Tony Brennan Tipp ( full forward and full back in All Ireland winning teams) and Jerry O Riordan Cork ( full forward in 1946&1947 and right full back in Cork’s 3 in a row 1952-1954). Too màny views from people who were not born when versatile players of the past such as Jackie Power ( Limerick) and Tommy Doyle ( Tipp) were starring. Of course John Conlon is a great and versatile player.
There weren’t any question marks over him. Anyone could see that he’s a quality elite-level hurler. Why do the GAA crowd always need to pretend that everybody’s writing them off?