Lung-busting Simpson double still not enough
EVEN two brilliant tries from scrum-half weren’t enough to get Gloucester’s European campaign off to a winning start.
Simpson’s remarkable first half efforts gave his side a fighting chance but the Toulouse pack held too many guns and eventually the French side ran out deserved winners.
Simpson was unlucky to finish up on the losing side for in a ten minute spell, he scooted 55 metres for the first before running fully 80 metres for his second.
“I just pinned my ears back and ran as quickly as I could, it wasn’t too difficult as I didn’t have to beat anyone,” he said.
“It was a good off-load from Banners (Matt Banahan) to set up the first and for the second it was a great rip from Lewis Ludlow to steal their possession.
“I don’t think I’ve scored two like that in quick succession since I was about seven.
“We were in a great position at half-time but they made a couple of crucial changes and stung our lineout. They were able to turn it into an arm-wrestle, a situation we desperately wanted to avoid.”
Impressive Toulouse were better than just an arm-wrestle and it is a mystery how they managed to score only one try despite have three-quarters of the possession and territory.
Rynhardt Elstadt and Joe Tekori were the pick of their dominant pack with three-quarters Sofiane Guitone
and Yohann Huget constant threats to the defence. On this showing, Toulouse will take some stopping in the tournament.
After last week’s lethargic effort against Saracens, Gloucester were much improved with a spirited defensive display led by Ludlow and Val RapavaRuskin but their pack lacked the aggression of their opponents.
The return of first choice locks, the injured Ed Slater and World Cup winner Franco Mostert, cannot come quickly enough especially when their line-out, on their own throw, lost more than they won.
Toulouse dominated the early exchanges with Zach Holmes putting them in front with a neat drop goal before Simpson took centre stage.
From a line-out just outside their 22, Gloucester nicked a line-out for Simpson to inter-pass with Matt Banahan before bursting away and doing just enough to hold off the covering tackle of Thomas Ramos.
Simpson’s second was even better. Clever play from international threequarters, Huget and Romain Ntamack, had taken the French menacingly into the home 22 but the visitors lost possession for Simpson to pick up and go the distance.
Simpson’s tries took the wind out of the visitors’ sails and despite dominating much of the half, they trailed 20-9 at the end of it after Danny Cipriani and Ramos had kicked two penalties apiece.
Toulouse brought on Scottish international lock Richie Gray and withdrew outside half Holmes at the interval and the changes paid immediate dividends when Ntamack and Ramos both kicked penalties to reduce the deficit.
It was now one-way traffic and Toulouse had their reward when, after a fierce onslaught from their pack, Sebastian Bezy was on hand to secure the crucial touchdown.
Toulouse’s comeback was complete when Ramos added a penalty after Mark Atkinson was penalised for a late tackle.