A big result in the club rugby world as Castres have picked up their first win away at Toulon since 2008 with a 22-10 victory.
Whilst everyone was recovering from the two Six Nations games on Saturday, a game that went unnoticed in the evening was in the French Top 14 as Toulon welcomed Castres to the Stade Felix Mayol.
It has caused a bit of reaction on social media as Toulon are still in 13th after a poor season in the French league.
Well. Bit of a shock at Toulon as Castres survive 3 yellow cards inc a run at the end of the 1st 40 when they were down to 13 and giving up penalties on their own line, to duke a 1st win at Mayol since October 2008.
Toulon reverted to the group of talented individuals thing, tbh https://t.co/Fbjn24ne6T— James Harrington (@Jamesonrugby) February 5, 2022
The home side dominated the opening quarter but the first score of the evening went to Castres with scrum-half Rory Knockott scored with a breakaway try, fly-half Benjamin Urdapilleta nailed the conversion to make it 7-0.
It took two yellow cards and a penalty try for Toulon to get on the board after Knockott himself was sent to the bin after attempting to steal the ball on the floor.
French international fly-half Louis Carbonel missed an early penalty at the start of the second half as his opposite man Urdapilleta kicked his first penalty of the afternoon a couple of minutes later.
Despite the likes of Cheslin Kolbe, Baptiste Serin and Jiuta Wainiqolo – Toulon failed to get anything in the third quarter despite having the majority of possession.
A Carbonel penalty in the 61st minute levelled the scores at 10-10 but the hosts were unable to kick on despite a yellow card for Baptiste Delaporte late on as Urdapilleta converted three penalties and a drop goal in the last 10 minutes meaning that Castres held on for the win.
It was a scrappy performance from the hosts, who made 13 handling errors throughout the game.
Toulon do have a couple of games in hand after a Covid-19 outbreak last December, meanwhile Castres move up to fourth after their victory.
Captain Serin spoke to French TV channel Canal after the game and said ” A little fighting spirit, we’re going into survival mode there”.
An interesting few weeks lay ahead for the former European champions.
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