The Toulonnais took their revenge. Beaten by Lyon in the final of the last Challenge Cup – the little sister of the Champions Cup, the “big” European Cup – the RCT found the LOU on Saturday April 8, in the quarter-finals of the competition. In front of their public and under a great sun conducive to the game, the men of Pierre Mignoni and Franck Azéma did not give details, scattering their opponents 48 to 23.
Despite good intentions, the Toulonnais nevertheless struggled to enter the match against enterprising Lyonnais. Generally dominating, the visitors raced in the lead for the first half hour thanks to the foot of their opening half Lima Sopoaga, without managing to validate their domination with a try. A fatal lack of realism. With an acceleration, Baptiste Serin sounded the revolt of the RCT, crossing the field from 22 meters to bring Jiuta Wainiqolo’s first try a few moments later (29e).
The beginning of a Toulon festival punctuated by seven tests. Teddy Baubigny (39)e) and Dany Priso (40e) first took care, in force, to add to the bill before returning to the locker room. The Toulonnais accelerated again in the second period. Charles Ollivon took the opportunity to also score his try (58e), at the conclusion of an offensive movement smoothly led around Baptiste Serin.
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France’s last chance
“It was very tough at the start of the match. The Lyonnais did not score, and fortunately for usanalyzed the scrum half at the microphone of France 3 at the end of the match. Then we managed to be pragmatic. We had to be present today. We are not hiding, the objective is to go to the end of the competition. »
In difficulty in recent seasons, the RCT is still chasing its glorious past, especially in Europe. Between 2013 and 2015, the club, chaired at the time by Mourad Boudjellal, won three “big” European Cups and a Brennus shield (2014), but has not won a single title for eight years.
Still in the race in the Top 14 – they are currently sixth – the red and black will face the winner of the meeting between the Italians of Treviso and the Welsh of Cardiff in the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup. The Varois are the last French representatives in the competition, following the defeat of Clermont against the Scarlets (32-30), Friday April 7, in the quarter-finals.