Toulon flex their muscle to beat Leinster 20-16 in Champions Cup
By Julian Crabtree
Last Updated: 20/12/15 5:31pm
Defending champions Toulon came from behind to beat Leinster 20-16 at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday and end the Irish side's hopes of making the quarter-finals.
Leinster were determined to end a four-match losing streak in the Champions Cup and they started with a tempo that pressurised Toulon.
However, they could not sustain it and Toulon flexed their muscle in the second-half to return that pressure with interest.
Leinster scored all their points in a great first-half where they were awarded a penalty try after a superb driving maul.
Johnny Sexton converted that score and added three penalties.
Juan Smith got Toulon on the scoresheet with a well taken try but otherwise it was all Leinster, who went into the break with a 11-point lead.
Toulon came roaring back though and got a penalty try of their own after demolishing Leinster's scrum from five metres out after relentless pressure.
Replacement hooker Anthony Etrillard also got on the scorecard after a driving maul crossed to give them the lead in the 64th minute. Tom Taylor converted a long-range penalty in the 73rd minute to extend the buffer to four points and then closed the game down to secure a superb win.
Toulon seemed to be caught short by the high-tempo start from Leinster as Sexton gave them the lead after good work from hooker Richardt Strauss at the breakdown.
Toulon were in further trouble when Springbok No 8 Dwayne Vermeulen was sent to the sin-bin for picking the ball up from an offside position five metres from his line.
Leinster looked to make the extra man count but were denied by some desperate Toulon defence.
However, they eventually got their just rewards after an excellent driving maul from the lineout.
Despite being over the try line, referee Wayne Barnes had enough of the consistent penalties and awarded the penalty try which Sexton converted.
Toulon skipper Smith narrowed the gap. He had come close after peeling off the lineout but was then on hand after Mathieu Bastareaud made good yards in the centre to go over on the left.
However the half belonged to Leinster as Sexton converted two more penalties for a 16-5 lead - one after a cynical late shoulder charge from Delon Armitage on Eoin Reddan that could have seen the Toulon fullback sin-binned.
Aggresive defence
Toulon went through the gears in the second half but Leinster's aggressive defence was beginning to frustrate.
Drew Mitchell should have gone over after some excellent phases but could not hold onto a simple last pass with the try line at his mercy. Three minutes later the Wallaby winger was denied again after Sean Cronin's excellent cover tackle saw his foot go into touch as he dived over.
However the Toulon tide kept on coming and Leinster's scrum could not hold the push. For the second time of the night Wayne Barnes ran out of patience and awarded Toulon a penalty try which was converted by Tom Taylor.
Toulon then got their driving maul going from the lineout with replacement hooker Etrillard going over. Taylor could not convert but did knock over a penalty with seven minutes remaing to extend their lead.
Toulon should have had the bonus point try after Leinster went down to 14 men with Jordi Murphy in the sin-bin, but Mamuka Gorgodze knocked on as he went over.
The victory sees the defending champions go second in Pool 5 - six points behind Wasps with a game in hand - while Leinster's hope of progressing are over for this campaign.