Lyon get the job done against Toulon

Editor

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 19: Frederic Michalak of France in action during the 2015 Rugby World Cup Pool D match between France and Italy at Twickenham Stadium on September 19, 2015 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Christopher Lee/Getty Images For World Rugby)

Lyon scrum-half Frédéric Michalak put in a superb kicking performance during his side’s 27-13 win over Toulon at Matmut Stadium on Sunday.

It’s an uplifting win for Lyon who have only won three games all season before this. The win sees them leap frog Stade Français from 11th to 10th. Toulon on the other hand don’t move at all after picking up no points in the game, which means they remain at third place.

Lyon started off the scoring with two penalties early on in the first half, one through full-back Delon Armitage and another through Michalak. Toulon hit back through a penalty of their own after Bernard slotted three-pointer to close in on Lyon’s early lead.

It didn’t work though as the rest of the half belonged to Lyon, barring a solitary Toulon penalty, as Lyon hooker Mickael Ivaldi scored a try for his side while the trusty boot of Michalak kept the score board ticking over.

Toulon didn’t end the half well either as second-row Jocelino Suta was given a yellow card on the 40th minute, resigning his side to tough beginning to the second stanza.

Lyon then scored their second five-pointer of the game when wing Napolioni Nalaga scored a try to compound his side’s lead.

Michalak, who seemed like the hero of the day, was then given a yellow card in the 70th minute which would see him out for the rest of the game.

The absence of Michalak let Toulon finally score a five-pointer through scrum-half Sebastien Tillous-Borde which Bernard converted to close the gap.

The scorers:

For Lyon:
Tries: Ivaldi, Nalaga
Con: Michalak
Pens: Armitage, Michalak 4
Yellow Card: Michalak

For Toulon:
Tries: Tillous-Borde
Con: Bernard
Pens: Bernard 2
Yellow Card: Suta

Lyon: 15 Delon Armitage, 14 Toby Arnold, 13 Hemani Paea, 12 Rudi Wulf, 11 Napolioni Nalaga, 10 Mike Harris, 9 Frédéric Michalak, 8 Carl Fearns, 7 Virgile Bruni, 6 Julien Puricelli, 5 Josh Bekhuis, 4 Taiasina Tuifua, 3 Francisco Gomez Kodela, 2 Mickaël Ivaldi, 1 Albertus Buckle,
Replacements: 16 Ti’I Paulo, 17 Alexandre Menini, 18 Felix Lambey, 19 Julien Bonnaire, 20 Baptiste Couilloud, 21 Theo Belan, 22 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 23 BJ Botha

Toulon: 15 James O’Connor, 14 Axel Muler, 13 Mathieu Bastareaud, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Pierre Bernard, 9 Sebastien Tillous-Borde, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Liam Gill, 6 Samu Manoa, 5 Jocelino Suta, 4 Mamuka Gorgodze, 3 Levan Chilachava, 2 Jean Charles Orioli, 1 Xavier Chiocci,
Replacements: 16 Anthony Etrillard, 17 Laurent DelBoulbes, 18 Andries Ferreira, 19 Juandre Kruger, 20 Ayumu Goromaru, 21 Jimmy Yobo, 22 Eric Escande, 23 Marcel Van der Merwe

Referee: Laurent Cardona