Bristol bring Toulon down
He even brought some big guns with him, but Tana Umaga's Toulon once again fell to a heavy defeat in the European Challenge Cup on Friday, going down 39-11 to Bristol at the Memorial Ground.
He even brought some big guns with him, but Tana Umaga's Toulon once again fell to a heavy defeat in the European Challenge Cup on Friday, going down 39-11 to Bristol at the Memorial Ground.
Despite the high scoreline Bristol failed to garner the bonus point, indeed, two late tries from Joe El Abd and Dan Ward-Smith, both converted by Adrian Jarvis, gave the scoreline a lop-sided look.
It was 19-11 at half-time, with Vunga Lilo's early try for Bristol cancelled out by one from Orene Ai'i, and Jarvis edging the kicking duel with Sebastien Fauqué by a conversion and four penalties to two penalties.
But Jarvis landed two more as Bristol's pack proved too powerful for the French, and then the back-rowers waded in with their late scores.
Meanwhile, Topsy Ojo scored twice in the second half as London Irish ran out 27-10 winners over Connacht at the Galway Sportsground to take a grip of Pool One.
England wing Ojo scorched over five minutes after the break before sealing the bonus point victory with a second score in the final minute to ensure the Exiles have taken a maximum 10 points from their opening two games.
Elvis Seveali'i crashed over for the game's opening try inside 10 minutes but it was Seilala Mapusua's length of the field score that handed Irish a 12-7 half-time lead.
Connacht hammered away at the visitors' try-line but when Fionn Carr fumbled Liam Bibo's inside pass yards out, Samoan centre Mapasua was first to react, scooping up possession before scorching 100 metres up field for Irish's second try.
Carr made amends within two minutes when the full-back slipped through on 16 minutes but London Irish closed up shop in the second half before Ojo struck late on to seal the spoils.
Italians Petrarca Padova stunned Bourgoin in Pool Three with a last-minute try to clinch their first European Challenge Cup win in France, a 29-28 victory.
Bourgoin thought they had won when centre Rudi Coetzee scored two minutes from time for a 28-22 lead at Stade Pierre Rajon, only for Warren Spragg to cross and set up the winning conversion that ex-Gloucester fly-half Ludovic Mercier swept home.
Bayonne won 26-8 at French rivals Mont de Marsan in Pool Five in a result that benefits Saracens' hopes of qualification. Craig Gower and Nicolas Laffite scored the tries for Bayonne after Manny Edmonds kicked three penalties, while Nicolas Ternisien was Mont-de-Marsan's scorer.