Tigers suffer Cup mauling
LEICESTER’S BATTLING PEFORMANCE IS JUST NOT ENOUGH AGAINST FRENCH SEMI-FINAL OPPONENTS
LEICESTER Tigers’ hopes of reaching a first European final since 2009 ended as Toulon claimed a 34-19 victory at Stade Felix Mayol.
The three-time Heineken Cup champions took a 20-11 lead into the break courtesy of tries from Bryce Heem, Gabin Villière and 10 points from the boot of Louis Carbonel.
A Facundo Isa try and Villière’s second with 22 minutes to go closed the game as a contest as Tigers were left to rue at their failure to capitalise on some key moments of the match.
Toulon’s third Challenge Cup final will see them tackle Tigers’ next Premiership opponents, Bristol Bears, in the France-based final on October 16.
The hosts, playing on a wretched pitch that cut up with ease, scored a pair of controversial first-half tries after George Ford and Louis Carbonel both landed penalties in the first 10 minutes.
Tigers lock Tomás Lavanini was stripped by 142-times capped Italy legend Sergio Parisse despite the Argentinian appearing to have a knee grounded.
Toulon swarmed with the turnover of possession and former Worcester Warriors back Heem fended Kini Murimurivalu’s weak tackle attempt to score in the corner
Murimurivalu, making just his second Tigers appearance, was in the thick of the action as he backtracked well to prevent Carbonel from latching onto his clever grubber ahead.
But the Fijian, who spent two weeks in a quarantine hotel prior to making his Leicester debut against Northampton Saints a fortnight ago, would see a pass intercepted in the build up to
Toulon’s second try.
Matt Scott appeared to have relieved the pressure when sweeping up in the backfield, but somehow the hosts managed to turnover the ball and again capitalised as Villière reeled in Raph-. ael Lakafia’s looped pass to cross.
Carbonel converted both tries to open a 14-point lead that was cut by three 15 minutes before the break when Ford added a second successful penalty. The England fly-half so easily could have made it a hat-trick of three pointers before the break when Tigers were awarded a penalty in the 22 and in front of the posts. But his international teammate Ben Youngs had other ideas. Sensing disorganisation ahead of him, he tapped and went and after multiple chases, Jaco Taute popped to Nadolo who bulldozed his way over in the left corner to cut the half-time deficit to nine points. Another three points were shaved off five minutes after the restart as Tigers earned a scrum penalty that Ford converted from the tee.
But the 69-times capped England international was guilty of a clumsy penalty kick to the corner that landed the wrong side of the corner flag.
Toulon rallied behind the let-off as Lakafia peeled off a rolling maul and was held up by Nadolo.
Flanker Tommy Reffell completed the defensive set by earning a penalty at the breakdown underneath his own posts.
It proved to be only a temporary reprieve as Tigers eventually ran out of numbers as substitute Isa crossed for Toulon’s third try after 58 minutes.
Worse was to follow after Lavanini was yellow carded for a late tackle and, with the numbers advantage, Duncan Paia’aua brushed off Ford’s tackle before offloading to Villière to end Tigers’ hopes of a late comeback.
To their credit, though, they didn’t give up hope and evened up the numbers when Parisse was sin-binned when a rolling maul collapsed metres from the line.
They remained patient and forceful and Harry Potter finished brilliantly under pressure with plenty to do.
It seemed better was to follow when Ellis Genge ran through Daniel Ikpefan’s tackle to finish from 20 metres out – but the try was chalked off for Ford’s forward pass as Toulon closed out the game to progress at Tigers’ expense.