Top 14: Toulon launches its season with the offensive bonus against Lyon - France 24

Toulon (AFP)

Toulon started its season with an enhanced home victory against Lyon (36-14) Sunday at the end of the second day of the Top 14, thanks to five tries, three penalties and two from Masivesi Dakuwaqa and Facundo Isa.

The LOU however replied after the break (15-6) through Jean-Marc Doussain but his indiscipline marked by five yellow cards cost him the match and the defensive bonus point at the end of the match.

The Rhodaniens are indeed very badly returned in this meeting by multiplying the faults ball in hand.

Thanks to an excellent Sergio Parisse, the Toulonnais, patients, took advantage of the opposing indiscipline.

After a multitude of Lyon faults, three LOU players received a yellow card and the RCT scored on a penalty try (19th), his first of the season and the first against Lyon in three games.

But at 12 against 15, the Lyonnais did better than resist and even passed their first points at the foot without conceding any.

It was finally back at 15 that they cracked.

After a percussion from New Zealander Bryce Heem, Australian Duncan Paia'aua kicked the Fijian winger Masivesi Dakuwaqa on trial (32nd).

The Lyonnais reacted after the break.

More disciplined, the men of Pierre Mignoni were rewarded after a succession of scrums when Mathieu Bastareaud, former Toulonnais returning to the Mayol stadium, sent the scrum-half Doussain to the test (54th).

But while the LOU returned to a point from Toulon (15-14), the RCT finally accelerated in this suffocating second period.

After a ball carried near the crucial area, Mr. Cardona, the referee, granted a second penalty try (68th) to the Var who were able to breathe again.

Patrice Collazo's men repeated the same action a few minutes later with the same result (77th).

At the end of the game, in front of 5,000 effervescent supporters, the Argentinian third line Facundo Isa concluded the beautiful evening in Toulon with a fifth try.

Lyon now has three weeks off to react after two defeats and treat the thirteen players in the infirmary before returning to the Top 14 at home against Bordeaux-Bègles.

For its part, Toulon will play its most important match of the start of the season on Saturday with the reception of the Scarlets in the quarter-finals of the European Challenge.

© 2020 AFP