Toulouse player ratings: Jack Willis a ‘rock in red’ but Antoine Dupont error and ‘moment of madness’ costs visitors dear
Jack Willis was everywhere for Toulouse against Bordeaux-Begles.
Following a 30-15 defeat to Bordeaux-Begles in their Investec Champions Cup quarter-final at Stade Chaban Delmas on Sunday, here’s player ratings for Toulouse.
The backs
15 Thomas Ramos: Not his usual flawless self off the tee but was a willing runner and second playmaking option. Seemed to have an extra yard today as he fizzed from the back with 66 metres gained and threw in a wonderful 50/22 early in the second half. Gave his all but it was not enough. 7
14 Teddy Thomas: Eager for work from the outset and got his reward late in the first half with a well-taken try. Rolled back the years as the 32-year-old was excellent for the most part, finishing with 77 metres from his six carries. 7
13 Kalvin Gourgues: The youngster is such a handful and dovetailed nicely with his Argentine partner in midfield early on. Regularly got over the advantage line as his stock continues to rise but, like his team, faded a touch in the closing stages. 6
12 Santiago Chocobares: Got the start this week ahead of Pierre-Louis Barassi and offered his usual ballast in contact early on but definitely lost his individual battle with Yoram Moefana. 6
11 Matthis Lebel: The nimble-footed wing showed flashes of quality early in the piece but faded as the match wore on, eventually being replaced by Blair Kinghorn. Finished with 33 metres from nine carries. 5
10 Romain Ntamack: Deserved his try in the first half and took it well as he backed himself when the hole appeared. Ntamack was a threat to the defensive line and mixed that with slick distribution until the Bordeaux onslaught came, led by the magical Matthieu Jalibert, who grabbed a hold of the fixture. 6
9 Antoine Dupont: A defensive monster. Dupont’s ability to chop down opponents and scramble when his team was in need was evident once again today. His yellow card for a trip on Arthur Retiere on 57 minutes played a part in Bordeaux turning the screw and while he emptied the tank, it was most definitely Maxime Lucu’s day at the base. 6
The forwards
8 Anthony Jelonch: Had his game cut short on 51 minutes as he was helped from the field with an arm injury, but prior to that, he got through a ton of work as Toulouse dominated the opening period. Nine carries for the France stalwart, and Toulouse will hope for a swift return from their number eight. 6
7 Jack Willis: A rock in red as the Englishman toiled manfully all game. Was such a nuisance to Bordeaux in the contact area and also got plenty of joy in close quarters with ball in hand. A turnover, tackle and carrying machine as he was a warrior all afternoon, throwing in try-saving interventions to boot. Incredibly unlucky to be on the losing side. 9
6 François Cros: Defensively solid with 10 tackles and with ball in hand, he made 15 metres from his four carries. Cros was also a nuisance at ruck time, winning a key turnover for his side. 6
5 Emmanuel Meafou: 10 carries from the big man while he also provided some deft handling and offloads before contact as Toulouse enjoyed a strong opening to the game. His presence with ball in hand faded somewhat thereafter as Bordeaux found their mojo. 6
4 Thibaud Flament: An 80-minute shift from the France international but there was little joy for the rangy second-row as he struggled both with ball in hand and defensively, missing four tackles today. 4
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3 Dorian Aldegheri: A moment of madness from the experienced tighthead who had his game ended three minutes before the break after receiving a 20-minute red card for making contact with the head of Damian Penaud. He could have no complaints as it was clumsy to say the least. Prior to that, he was enjoying a solid outing in all departments. 3
2 Peato Mauvaka: The lineout had its issues today and around the field, despite his best efforts, Mauvaka didn’t impact proceedings as much as he would have liked, as he struggled for metres. Replaced by Julien Marchand on 54 minutes. 4
1 David Ainu’u: Impressed around the field and in the set-piece in a solid outing. Seven tackles and joy with ball in hand saw Ainu’u catch the eye before Cyril Baille emerged alongside Marchand. 6
Replacements: It’s fair to say the bench didn’t have the desired effect for Ugo Mola as Bordeaux ran away with matters in the closing stages. Possibly only Leo Banos can hold his head high for the impact he had in the second period. 4