Pau (AFP)
Toulon, however badly gone to the hamlet turned quagmire, kept the cool head to win logically in front of Pau 19 to 9, Saturday, on the occasion of the 10th day of Top 14.
Already winner in Agen at the opening of the championship, the RCT compiles a second victory away from Mayol that allows him to occupy the 3rd place provisional and ideally celebrate the arrival of the South African world champion Eben Etzebeth.
It was not easy for the men of Patrice Collazo, who suffered for twenty minutes -6-0 with two penalties Hastoy- before ending up in the wake of his internationals who then made speak their qualities and experience .
For the Section, this is the second setback of the home season which counter-balances the good record of the Béarnais outside. Particularly ambitious in the pouring rain without being rewarded, like several charges near the visiting line, the Palois have seen their game go out of control as the game progresses, notably due to an ineffective footwork.
Constantly put under pressure, the men of Nicolas Godignon then multiplied the faults allowing Belleau to investigate the points on penalties (6-9, 34th).
More realistic, the Var broke just before the break thanks to their Italian rookie Parisse, perfectly served at the end of the line after a gap born of a crossing Belleau (38th). An action of double punishment for the locals who temporarily lost their captain Quentin Lespiaucq-Brettes, sanctioned for repeated fouls.
After the break, Pau failed to catch up despite early changes with Thibault Daubagana entering the fray and Tom Taylor in the back, supposed to offer more guarantees in the game on foot.
Nothing has nourished the revolt, for lack of conquest to the height (six balloons misplaced in touch) and after a success at the foot of both sides, nothing will be scored in the last half hour that looked like a real trench warfare.
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