Toulon (AFP)

Toulon has chained an 8th undefeated match in all competitions by upgrading with the bonus Clermont (41-19) Sunday at the Félix-Mayol stadium, already under the spell of the second line Eben Etzebeth, decisive entry.

Thanks to six trials, the first to be intercepted by the South African world champion from the 4th minute, Toulon signed his most successful performance of the season and climbed the podium with a point ahead of Toulouse, his next opponent for a promising shock.

Very disappointing with his opposition despite three reaction tests, Clermont remains in the middle of the table (7th) and will have to react at home on Sunday against Castres.

In the warm atmosphere of Mayol, moved by a first speech from the historic president Mourad Boudjellal, everything went very quickly in this meeting with the show of Eben Etzebeth. On his second pass of the game, Camille Lopez saw his ball intercepted by the second line from South Africa, who only had to spin into the in-goal. The world champion therefore waited only four minutes in the Top 14 to register his first try in the French championship. Above all, Etzebeth shone during the 69 minutes he spent on the lawn, being solid in touch, at the reception of candles and in melee.

In control over the phases of conquest, the men of Patrice Collazo found the fault ten minutes later. After a balloon carried, Louis Carbonel perfectly launched his wingman, Bryce Heem, with the right foot.

After a third perfect touchdown by Eben Etzebeth, the Var fronts organized a worn ball that the Georgian right pillar Beka Gigashvili brought behind the line (25th). Completely overwhelmed, the Clermontois were sanctioned at each scrum. On the fourth, the referee, Romain Poite, cracked down on excluding the right pillar Rabah Slimani.

Reduced 14, the Auvergnats however found the fault. Came into play to compensate in melee the exit of Slimani, the pillar Sipili Falatea reduced the gap following a touch to five meters from the Var in-goal (34). Not enough to extinguish the Toulonnais. The Red and Black fronts continued their demolition work. After a new balloon carried, captain Raphaël Lakafia added five points (39th).

After the break, the Clermontois tried to start the revolt. After five minutes spent in the Toulon camp, Damian Penaud, replaced in the center as against Bath in the European Cup, seemed to revive his own (45th). But after a new showdown imposed by the Var fronts, Carbonel still maneuvering, launched the Julien Hériteau center on trial (50).

While in control, the Toulon managed their end of the game by camping fifteen minutes in the Jaunards' camp. But the Var replacements were unable to find the fault. It was Clermont who reduced the gap through the English second row George Merrick (79th).

Franck Azéma's men could even have deprived Toulon of the bonus after the siren but Sergio Parisse, with experience, scratched one last ball.

© 2019 AFP