Toulouse take maximum from Castres

Editor

Toulouse claimed their fourth win of the new season on Saturday as they beat Castres 26-9 with a bonus point at Stade Ernest Wallon.

Toulouse claimed their fourth success of the new Top 14 season on Saturday as they beat Castres 26-9 with a try bonus point at Stade Ernest Wallon.

It wasn't pretty and errors were high but the hosts deserved their win, with Gael Fickou shining as he caused the visitors plenty of problems.

Three tries were scored in the clash, however, and that meant Toulouse picked up five match points due to Castres not troubling the scorers.

They came from Jean Marc Doussain on the half-hour mark before second-half efforts from Luke McAlister and replacement Yacouba Camara.

McAlister also kicked 11 points for his side but there are still plenty of teething problems for Guy Novès to assess as the Heineken Cup nears.

Top 14 champions Castres meanwhile, who benched influential scrum-half Rory Kockott for the game, continue their dismal run of results against Toulouse that dates back to October 2011.

The scorers:

For Toulouse:
Tries: Doussain, McAlister, Camara
Cons: McAlister
Pens: McAlister 3

For Castres:
Pens: Kirkpatrick 2, Kockott

Toulouse: 15 Clement Poitrenaud, 14 Maxime Medard, 13 Florian Fritz, 12 Gael Fickou, 11 Hosea Gear, 10 Luke McAlister, 9 Jean Marc Doussain, 8 Gillian Galan, 7 Yannick Nyanga, 6 Gregory Lamboley, 5 Joe Tekori, 4 Yoann Maestri, 3 Census Johnston, 2 Christopher Tolofua, 1 Schalk Ferreira.
Replacements: 16 M.J van der Heever, 17 Cyril Baille, 18 Romain Millo Chlusky, 19 Yacouba Camara, 20 Sebastien Bezy, 21 Lionel Beauxis, 22 Yoann Huget, 23 Yohan Montes.

Castres: 15 Brice Dulin, 14 Remy Grosso, 13 Remi Lamerat, 12 Daniel Kirkpatrick, 11 Max Evans, 10 Remi Tales, 9 Julien Tomas, 8 Jan Bornman, 7 Yannick Caballero, 6 Pedrie Wannenburg, 5 Richard Gray, 4 Piula Faasalele, 3 Mihaita Lazar, 2 Marc Rallier, 1 Saimone Taumoepeau.
Replacements: 16 Mathieu Bonello, 17 Yannick Forestier, 18 Christophe Samson, 19 Antonie Claassen, 20 Rory Kockott, 21 Seremaia Bai, 22 Romain Martial, 23 Michael Coetzee.

Referee: Romain Poite