• Bath 20-22 Toulouse• Burns’ misses late chance after celebrating too earlyProfessional sport is a trying business, but it is difficult to imagine a more psychologically traumatic experience than the one Freddie Burns endured in the space of three min…
Can anyone stop Leinster from winning an unprecedented fifth title? Are Exeter equipped for a real challenge? We mark your card for Europe’s top competitionA pool featuring four former winners and 11 titles but it is hard to see anything other than Lei…
Europe has not always been the country’s priority and there are concerns over the health of the game at home, but France’s clubs still tend to shine in the Champions CupNewcastle’s last appearance in the European Cup was against Stade Français in Paris…
Lyon are best placed to challenge PSG, Patrick Vieira will hope to take Nice into Europe and Caen face a relegation battleBy Adam White for Get French Football NewsAnything other than an eighth Ligue 1 title in PSG’s history would be huge surprise. Alt…
The battle for second place in Ligue 1 is bringing the best out of Dimitri Payet, Nabil Fékir and Florian ThauvinBy Adam White and Eric Devin for Get French Football NewsDespite some uneven performances in the last set of friendlies, France are still a…
Toulouse should be developing their academy products instead of signing Premier League misfits such as Yaya SanogoBy Adam White and Eric Devin for Get French Football NewsThings were supposed to improve for Toulouse when they dismissed Pascal Dupraz a …
Two years ago Amiens were playing to sparse crowds in France’s unglamorous third division. On Friday they held their own against Ligue 1 champions MonacoBy Adam White and Eric Devin for Get French Football NewsAt first glance, Amiens do not seem equipp…
Neymar scored twice as Paris St-Germain stormed to a 6-2 victory over Toulouse to give them maximum points from their opening three matches.
This convincing victory gave Unai Emery’s side top spot in the embryonic Ligue 1 table, although they had trailed at Parc des Princes to Max Gradel’s 18th-minute opener. Neymar pulled PSG level before Adrien Rabiot doubled their lead to ensure they led at half-time.
• Munster 41-16 Toulouse
• Bleyendaal scores 21 points as Munster reach Champions Cup semi-finals
Munster started and finished strongly to set up a 41-16 win over Toulouse at Thomond Park and a place in the Champions Cup semi-finals for the first time in three years. Paul Perez’s controversially-awarded try breathed new life into Toulouse’s challenge at 24-16 down – but closing tries from Darren Sweetnam, his first in Europe, and the replacement Andrew Conway sent them through in convincing fashion.
Munster were 10 points up in as many minutes, profiting from Francois Cros’ early sin-binning as prop and man-of-the-match John Ryan muscled over for a try. Jean-Marc Doussain’s third penalty success – from all of 44 metres – brought wind-backed Toulouse to within four points at the break.
Memphis Depay struggled at Manchester United but he has found form since signing for Lyon and scored the ‘goal of his life’ against Toulouse on Sunday
By Adam White and Eric Devin for Get French Football News
Receiving a short pass from Jordan Ferri in the centre-circle, Memphis Depay swivelled and, almost in the same motion, launched a shot towards Alban Lafont in the Toulouse goal. The Lyon winger had shown good vision to catch the teenager off his line but shooting from more than 50 yards out was ambitious to say the least. The ball looped over Lafont’s head and dropped into the back of the net, giving Depay his second brace in his last three league matches.
In what could have been a tricky match between two legs of their Europa League tie with Roma, Depay’s two goals were vital. Video clips of the goal immediately filled social media feeds as news outlets stumbled over themselves to publicise the sumptuous strike. Almost as quickly, though, the caveats began to emerge, largely from Manchester United fans who were disgruntled that Depay had never produced anything as spectacular in England.
When Pascal Dupraz took over as Toulouse manager last March they were 10 points from safety. He pulled off one miracle and is now aiming for another
By Adam White and Eric Devin for Get French Football News
“You’re dirty kids! You’re dirty kids!” was the cry of a joyous Pascal Dupraz as his Toulouse side returned triumphantly to their dressing room. His team had just beaten champions Paris Saint-Germain at the Stade Municipal, having looked doomed to relegation just six months earlier. Toulouse’s win over PSG in September and the 3-1 victory over Monaco a fortnight later marked the peak of an astounding rise for a club that was being remoulded in the image of their violently charismatic coach. A considerable trough followed the peak as they struggled over the winter months but the signing of striker Andy Delort in January has propelled Toulouse back to their compelling best.
This time last year Toulouse found themselves 10 points from safety with just 10 games to play. They were all but down after a 2-1 defeat to Rennes left them second from bottom with only four wins in 28 matches. A meandering, limp campaign led by the aloof Dominique Arribagé had flickered and died, leaving Toulouse coachless, rudderless and hopeless. Club president Oliver Sadran has since admitted “there was no plan B” when Arribagé left.
• Pool 2: Wasps 17-14 Toulouse
• Scrum-half scores winning try in 80th minute
Connacht’s bonus point victory over Zebre earlier in the day made victory against the four-times European Cup winners imperative for Wasps, whose campaign finishes in Italy next Sunday. It evolved into a repeat of the 2004 final at Twickenham– which Wasps won with a late try by Robert Howley – in more ways than one with another scrum-half, Dan Robson, burgling a try in the final minute to all but seal a place in the last eight.
Fabien Pelous played for Toulouse then but now coaches the side, who have struggled in Europe in recent seasons. He talked before the match about the contrast between his side’s power and the pace of Wasps but an open match only marked a clash of styles to a point. Toulouse had the opportunity to take the lead after 10 minutes when they were awarded a penalty, having shoved Wasps back five metres in a scrum. The kick was from 30 metres just to the left of the posts, but Jean-Marc Doussain was badly off target.
Dylan Hartley’s greatest opponent is himself, Jamie George and Owen Farrell can both replace him and it was a good weekend for the Irish
If Dylan Hartley had not been sent off we would all be talking about Leinster’s excellence. Perhaps we still should be; even when they were down to their third-choice fly-half the Irish side looked revitalised, for which credit must go both to the players and, in particular, their reshuffled coaching panel. The contrast with Northampton’s flat-footed start was particularly glaring, as the home skipper Tom Wood made abundantly clear after his side’s 37-10 home drubbing. Ultimately though, Hartley’s 58th-minute red card for a forearm smash to the back of Sean O’Brien’s head was the kind of moment that shapes perceptions and undermines career prospects. Excuses were non-existent: it had not been a dirty game, O’Brien had already been tackled and had his back to his oncoming assailant, who had been on the field for less than six minutes. Given Hartley’s own past concussion issues it was doubly crass, reckless behaviour.
Dylan Hartley’s greatest opponent is himself, Jamie George and Owen Farrell can both replace him and it was a good weekend for the Irish
If Dylan Hartley had not been sent off we would all be talking about Leinster’s excellence. Perhaps we still should be; even when they were down to their third-choice fly-half the Irish side looked revitalised, for which credit must go both to the players and, in particular, their reshuffled coaching panel. The contrast with Northampton’s flat-footed start was particularly glaring, as the home skipper Tom Wood made abundantly clear after his side’s 37-10 home drubbing. Ultimately though, Hartley’s 58th-minute red card for a forearm smash to the back of Sean O’Brien’s head was the kind of moment that shapes perceptions and undermines career prospects. Excuses were non-existent: it had not been a dirty game, O’Brien had already been tackled and had his back to his oncoming assailant, who had been on the field for less than six minutes. Given Hartley’s own past concussion issues it was doubly crass, reckless behaviour.
• Toulouse 20-20 Wasps
• Wasps hold their nerve to score a try and conversion two minutes from time
It took a while to open out, but another fabulous Anglo-French encounter finished as it had started – too tight to call and all the more magical for that. Wasps survived a ferocious pounding from the heavyweights of Toulouse and, as so often, their wit and dexterity had the final say, squaring a match it would have been no disgrace to lose.
Related: Eddie Jones and England wait for news of Maro Itoje hand injury
Maro Itoje has a perfect mentor at Saracens, home truths for Exeter and New Zealand-born Joey Carbery shows he has a bright future at Leinster
You can read Robert Kitson’s tribute to Anthony Foley, the Munster head coach who died aged 42 before his side’s scheduled match against Racing 92 in Paris on Sunday, here.
Sometimes it is less the number of games a sportsman plays than the heart and soul he pours into the jersey he wears. Anthony Foley had the rare stamina and inner passion to satisfy both criteria, which is why the desperately sad news of his death at the age of 42 cast such a depressing shadow over European rugby. Foley was not just any old retired player; he was a genuine Munster legend whose central part in his province’s greatest hour will never be forgotten.
• Pro12 champions secure dramatic 23-21 win over four-times winners
• Leinster ease past Castres and Wasps break record against Zebre
Connacht made a statement on their return to the Champions Cup, with a thrilling 23-21 Pool 2 win against Toulouse. Craig Ronaldson’s coolly struck conversion of Bundee Aki’s 67th-minute try proved to be the decisive score, as Toulouse fell to a fifth successive away defeat in Europe for the first time in their history.
The French giants’ raw power enabled them to open up a 21-11 interval lead, Sébastien Bezy’s three early scrum penalties topped up by tries from Yann David and Jean-Marc Doussain. In between, Connacht recovered from their sluggish start to set up Ireland prospect Niyi Adeolokun’s fourth try of the season, with Jack Carty also kicking two penalties.
Paris Saint-Germain suffered their second defeat of the Ligue 1 season when they lost 2-0 at Toulouse after being reduced to 10 men on Friday.The champions succumbed to second-half goals by Yann Bodiger and Jimmy Durmaz as they dropped to third in the …
