Toulouse survive Treviso Heineken Cup scare

Toulouse survived a scare to eventually emerge as 21-33 winners in their Heineken Cup Pool 2 victory over Treviso at Stadio Comunale di Monigo.

Toulouse went into the break of their Pool 2 match 18-9 down and then fell 21-12 behind before a late three-converted try revival saw them home but neither side claimed a bonus point.

“It’s a shame because we didn’t score enough tries,” said Toulouse captain Thierry Dusautoir. “That’s because of our first half performance.

“It’s tough to play Treviso, and we’re not disappointed (not to take the bonus point). The essential thing was to win. After the break, we were the better side in the basics.”

Australian-born Treviso fly-half Kristopher Burton hit four penalties in the first quarter of an hour to build up a 12-3 lead over Toulouse, before trading penalties with opposite number Luke McAlister, the former All Black.

Toulouse’s teenage hooker Christopher Tolofua was sinbinned and Treviso went into the break 18-9 up.

With more penalty trading early in the second half, Toulouse upped the ante and a penalty try and a five-pointer from marauding No 8 Louis Picamoles, both converted by McAlister, saw the French club suddenly move 26-21 ahead.

Veteran winger Vincent Clerc then claimed Toulouse’s third try of the afternoon, which ended with Tolofua seeing red with five minutes to play after the referee adjudged him to have used a spear tackle in clearing out a ruck.

Final Score Treviso 21 (18) Toulouse 33 (9)

Scorers

Treviso
Penalties: Burton 7

Toulouse
Tries: Penalty Try, Picamoles, Clerc
Penalties: McAlister 4
Conversions: McAlister 3

Referee: Leighton Hodges (Wal),
Assistant ref: Sean Bricknell,
Assistant ref: Jonathan Mason,
TMO: Nigel Whitehouse,
Citing Commissioner: Buster White

Teams

Benetton Treviso: Luke McLean; Giulio Toniolatti, Tommaso Benvenuti, Alberto Sgarbi, Tommaso Iannone; Kristopher Burton, Tobie Botes; Michele Rizzo, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Lorenzo Cittadini, Antonio Pavanello (c), Francesco Minto, Manoa Vosawai, Alessandro Zanni, Robert Barbieri.

Replacements: Enrico Ceccato, Alberto De Marchi, Ignacio Fernandez-Rouyet, Valerio Bernabo, Simone Favaro, Marco Filippucci, Fabio Semenzato, Andrea Pratichetti.

Toulouse: Yoann Huget; Vincent Clerc, Florian Fritz, Gael Fickou, Timoci Matanavou; Luke McAlister, Jean Marc Doussain; Jean-Baptiste Poux, Christopher Tolofua, Yohann Montes, Romain Millo-Chluski, Patricio Albacete, Jean Bouilhou, Thierry Dusautoir (c), Louis Picamoles.

Replacements: Gary Botha, Gurthro Steenkamp, Census Johnston, Gregory Lamboley, Yannick Nyanga, Yannick Jauzion, Luke Burgess, Clement Poitrenaud.