Belfast (AFP)
Toulouse and Bordeaux-Bègles ideally launched the European campaign of French clubs by winning away to serious customers, Ulster and Northampton, Friday at the opening of the European Rugby Cup.
Toulouse's mission, to beat Ulster and Exeter three times out of four, seems a little less impossible after the improved success snatched in Northern Ireland (29-22).
At the end of a match rich in twists and turns, the last champions of France were able to climb 2 tries behind thanks to their scrum - Rory Arnold's try - and their two X factors, Cheslin Kolbe (2 tries) and Antoine Dupont (1) .
If the two stars regaled with their "special" - kick over then interior hook of the South African for a double, dazzling start after scrum for the N.9 -, it is the entire Occitan collective who responded present.
Including the substitutes, decisive in defense - the center Pita Ahki -, in touch - against Louis-Benoît Madaule - or in the rucks - again Madaule.
An even tougher battle awaits Toulouse in nine days at Ernest-Wallon, where it will be necessary to beat the reigning champion Exeter to claim a ticket for the quarter-finals in the terrible Pool B.
In Pool A, UBB, with a modest past in continental games, has offered an interesting future by winning on the wire at Northampton (16-12).
This thanks to the only attempt of a lackluster match, scored by an opportunistic Santiago Cordero.
The Argentine winger appeared in the middle of 5 Saints to recover the ball that the opener replacing Matthieu Jalibert had just sent on the left upright of the posts (73rd).
A happy ending for the UBB who was very safe throughout the match.
Clermont in Bristol, Toulon against Sale, Montpellier against Leinster and La Rochelle in Edinburgh will enter the track on Saturday.
© 2020 AFP