Nonu’s Toulon toppled by Bath
Some Ma’a Nonu magic could not stop Toulon losing a European Champions Cup rugby thriller to Todd Blackadder’s Bath after two brilliant tries to British and Irish Lions star Anthony Watson.
Bath celebrated a 26-21 home win on Saturday (Sunday NZ time) after repelling wave after wave of Toulon attacks in the dying minutes.
Blackadder’s men - beaten in the last-minute in Toulon last weekend - led 23-13 at halftime before Nonu inspired a Toulon comeback.
The former All Blacks midfielder mesmerised the Bath defence with a surging run to put the French club on the front root.
He offloaded to English test wing Chris Ashton, who took the ball into contact to set up a try for lock Samu Manoa from the next ruck. But Watson’s first-half brace proved the difference. The 23-year-old plays on the wing for England and the Lions but was at fullback for Bath.
With England coach Eddie Jones watching in the stands at the Bath Recreation Ground, Watson burned off a pair of defenders for his first try and crossed again on the halftime hooter after showing a clean pair of heels to the Toulon rearguard.
Loosehead prop Beno Obano got Bath’s other try while former All Blacks halfback Alby Mathewson scuttled over for Toulon.
Ex-All Black Charles Piutau and former Blues utility Isa Nacewa starred as Irish clubs took centre-stage.
Piutau scored one of Ulster’s six tries in a 52-24 rout of Harlequins in Belfast while Nacewa kicked 17 points as Leinster came from behind to beat English champions Exeter in Dublin on Saturday (Sunday NZ time).
Playing at fullback, Piutau touched down in the 56th minute to cap some excellent handling by Ulster’s backs and forwards and effectively put the game beyond Quins’ reach.
Nacewa, Leinster’s captain, took over the goal kicking after Irish international Johnny Sexton left the field following a head knock.
He landed five penalties and a conversion as Leinster showed great spirit to overcome a 17-3 deficit and the loss of former Wallabies forward Scott Fardy, who was sinbinned for deliberately collapsing a maul.
Leinster lead Pool Three by five points after their fourth win of the campaign.
Ulster are second in Pool One, two points behind leaders La Rochelle, who play Wasps in Coventry on Sunday (Monday NZ time).
Former Wallabies inside back Christian Lealiifano was Ulster’s man of the match ahead of his return to the Brumbies in January.
Kiwi wing Johnny McNicholl scored a try and set up another for centre Paul Asquith as Pro 12 champions Scarlets notched a 31-12 bonus point win over Benetton Treviso in Italy.
Australian-born former Bay of Plenty and Tasman Mako wing Monty Ioane grabbed Treviso’s two consolation tries after Scarlets ran up a 31-0 lead.
Vern Cotter’s Montpellier did the double over Dave Rennie’s Glasgow Warriors, winning 36-26 at Montpellier.
Nemani Nadolo scored for Cotter’s club with substitute Henry Immelman striking twice.
Glasgow got a losing bonus point after four tries, including a double by Peter Horne, who replaced Scotland star Finn Russell at first five-eighth.
Racing 92 comfortably beat French rivals Castres 29-7 with Fijians Leone Nakarawa and Virimi Vakatawa among the try-scorers.
Anthony Tuitavake started in Racing’s midfield with Ben Tameifuna and Joe Rokocoko on the bench.
In the European Challenge Cup second-tier competition, Greg Cooper’s Stade Francais beat London Irish 26-20 in London with a try to former Otago fullback Tony Ensor.
Connacht - coached by ex-All Black Kieran Keane - thrashed Brive 55-10 and Gloucester hammered Italy’s Zebre 69-12.
Worcester won 27-20 at French club Oyonnax, the Newcastle Falcons beat Welsh club Dragons on the road, 27-25, Edinburgh collected 12 tries in a 78-0 shellacking of Russian side Krasny Yar while Ben Volvavola kicked three conversions in Bordeaux Begles’ 36-27 win over Enisei-STM.