Toulon Exact Revenge on Argentina XV in Tucumán

Toulon exacted revenge on the Argentina XV this evening, winning 36-29 in Tucumán. The five tries to four victory featured a double from former French test fullback Hugo Bonneval.

Opening the scoring was Germán Schulz. The Tala RC winger used soccer skills to score the game’s opening try. Celebrations were short lived as Toulon hit back with immediate effect. Former French test No 8 Raphaël Lakafia hit-back, making it a 7-7 scoreline.

Shortly after a second try put Toulon ahead. Crossing was recent arrival Chris Ashton. The former English test winger went over for his first Toulon score in the 17th minute. The former Northampton and Saracens winger sliced cleanly through the Argentina XV mid-field to score.

The two opening tries underlined Toulon’s go-forward ball. The French club was playing the better rugby and the Argentina XV had no answer. This continued with South African Rugby World Cup 2007 winner, JP Pietersen produced a superb offload to set up Hugo Bonneval for Toulon’s third try.

Bonneval’s try gave Toulon a 24-10 lead. The Argentina XV managed to respond before half time. Scoring was Hindú’s Joaquín Díaz Bonilla. The fly half added to his earlier conversion and penalty by scoring a brilliant solo try. From slow ball, Díaz Bonilla split the Toulon defense, scoring beside the posts. In adding the conversion the Argentina XV went into half time trailing 17-24.

The second half opened up with a great soso play from Toulon’s fly half. Anthony Belleau broke clear from within his own half to to within meters of the try line. Having been tackled short quick recycling saw Puma Facundo Isa diving over.

The Argentina XV responded through Sebastián Cancelliere. The Hindú winger underlined his utility value as the normal scrum-half for the Argentina XV scored an impressive try, side-stepping his way past three players.

Needing to score next the Argentina XV saw their chances of victory vanish with Bonneval’s second try. The fullback latched onto a brilliant pass from Anthony Meric to put Toulon 36-22 ahead.

With time up on the clock the Argentina XV completed the scoring. Sloppy ball from a Toulon scrum feed led to Fernando Luna breaking. With players in support Rodrigo Bruni, doing so after solid play from Felipe Ezcurra.

SCORING
ARGENTINA XV
Try: Schulz, Díaz Bonilla, Cancelliere, Bruni
Conversion: Díaz Bonilla (2)
Penalty: Díaz Bonilla

TOULON
Try: Lakafia, Ashton, Bonneval (2), Isa
Conversion: Belleau (4)
Penalty: Belleau

ARGENTINA XV
1 Francisco Ferronato, 2 Gaspar Baldunciel, 3 Felipe Arregui, 4 Marcos Kremer, 5 Diego Galetto, 6 Rodrigo Bruni, 7 Lautaro Bavaro (Capt.), 8 Santiago Portillo, 9 Felipe Ezcurra, 10 Joaquín Díaz Bonilla, 11 Germán Schulz, 12 Tomás Granella, 13 Juan Cruz Mallía, 14 Sebastián Cancelliere, 15 Fernando Luna

Replacements: 16 Agustín Gómez di Nardo, 17 Franco Brarda, 18 Santiago Medrano, 19 Franco Molina, 20 Mariano Romanini, 21 Juan Cruz González, 22 Manuel Montero, 23 Franco Cuaranta

TOULON
1 Laurent Delboulbes, 2 Anthony Etrillard, 3 Emerick Setiano, 4 Swan Rebbadj, 5 Mamuka Gorgodze, 6 Facundo Isa, 7 Raphaël Lakafia, 8 Jean Monribot, 9 Eric Escande, 10 Anthony Belleau, 11 Chris Ashton, 12 JP Pietersen, 13 Mathieu Bastareaud, 14 Eneriko Buliruarua, 15 Hugo Bonneval

Replacements: 16 Bastien Soury, 17 Thomas Vernet, 18 Corentin Vernet, 19 Jocelino Suta, 20 Sébastien Tillous-Borde, 21 Anthony Meric, 22 Levan Chilachava, 23 Samu Manoa, 24 Florian Fresia, 25 Marcel van der Merwe