Super-sub Louis sinks Scarlets’ European dream
SCARLETS suffered a heartbreaking Challenge Cup quarter-final defeat and have still never won in Toulon after Louis Carbonel rose from the bench to down Glenn Delaney’s side.
This was no classic, but the Scarlets were heroic throughout with Leigh Halfpenny, Johnny McNicholl, Sione Kalamafoni and Samson Lee among a number of outstanding performers.
It was still not enough for victory despite Halfpenny kicking two penalties as Carbonel kicked two of his own and created his team’s crucial second-half try for veteran former Italy captain Sergio Parisse.
Toulon will now play Leicester in the last four and they have Carbonel to thank after he replaced the poor Baptiste Serin and guided his team home.
For the Scarlets there was nothing but pain to contemplate and the fact their performance was gallant to say the least will be of little consolation to them.
Captain Ken Owens produced some fine breakdown work to win his team an early penalty and Halfpenny stepped up to nail the kick from 46 metres with plenty to spare.
Toulon’s forward power is the basis for their game plan, but there were promising early signs the visitors were matching the giant French side both up front and in defence.
After Serin produced a sublime kick to touch, a sensational tackle by Halfpenny on Daniel Ikpefan stopped a certain Toulon try and from the resulting lineout Scarlets won back possession and cleared.
The Stade Felix Mayol pitch was cutting up awfully whenever the scrums packed down and although Toulon had most of the ball, they got little change out of their Welsh visitors.
Fortune also seemed to be with the Scarlets.
Ikpefan led a French breakout after Jake Ball turned over possession and it ended in Parisse crossing the line. Referee Andrew Brace wanted to check the score and TMO Philippe Bonhoure decided Ikpefan’s pass to Romain Taofifenua was forward and thus ruled the try out.
Salt was rubbed in Toulon’s wounds when they played Gareth Davies without the Scarlets scrum-half being in possession and Halfpenny stepped up to make it 6-0.
Serin was given a chance to pull three points back, but his penalty attempt from distance went wide and more fine defensive work helped the Scarlets turn around 6-0 to the good.
Halfpenny missed the chance to make it 9-0 at the start of the second period after Charles Ollivon was penalised for a deliberate knock on of Wyn Jones’ pass.
Toulon had seen enough and removed Serin – usually a scrum-half who was playing at 10 for the second straight week – in favour of a more traditional playmaker in Carbonel.
It worked immediately as Carbonel slotted a penalty to put Toulon on the board and then almost immediately created a try for his team.
Taking a quick tap from inside his own half, Carbonel raced clear. He was eventually stopped, but expert back row support from Toulon kept the attack alive and Parisse was the man to benefit. This time there was no doubt about the score, but Carbonel couldn’t add the conversion.
Steffan Evans picked up a loose ball and raced towards the line, but he was stopped short by a superb Gabin Villiere tackle and had no-one in support.
Halfpenny was forced off in the 67th minute for a head injury assessment after damaging his cheekbone, but the game remained in the balance – until Carbonel stepped up to kick his second goal and make it 11-6.
Scarlets had to go for broke and turned down three points to go for the corner. They got their driving lineout going, but just when it looked like it was going to cross the line Tyler Morgan spilled the ball.
A serious injury was suffered by McNicholl late on as they bashed away for a try late but came up short with 14 men on the field.