Toulon end their Challenge Cup drought in fine style as Glasgow blown away
Three-time Champions Cup winners earn a first Challenge Cup at the fifth time of asking
Daire Walsh
Toulon 43 Glasgow Warriors 19
Following four previous final defeats, Toulon got their hands on the EPCR Challenge Cup trophy for the first time with an emphatic triumph over Glasgow Warriors at the Aviva Stadium on Friday night.
Three-time winners of the Champions Cup from 2013 to 2015, the French club now join a select group to have won both European club crowns. While they finished runners-up in this second-tier competition in 2010, 2012, 2020 and 2022, Toulon were never in danger of falling short on this occasion.
Despite losing Dan Biggar to a head injury in the fourth minute, the Welsh international’s halfback partner Baptiste Serin immediately got the Top 14 side up and running with a superb individual try that he also converted.
The soon-to-be-retired Sergio Parisse was looking to produce a big performance in his European swansong and the Italian rugby stalwart was released by Serin on 18 minutes for a try underneath the posts.
A second conversion rounded off an impressive opening quarter from Serin, but he had no intention of resting on his laurels. Following initial approach play by Waisea Nayacalevu and Duncan Paia’aua, Serin feigned a pass in advance of securing another seven-point salvo.
While a shell-shocked Glasgow eventually grew into the game with sustained spells of possession, Toulon held out in defence to bring a convincing 21-0 cushion into the break. However, they were forced to dig extensively into their list of reserves with Paia’aua (who had been withdrawn for a HIA on 32 minutes), Gabin Villière and Serin being ruled out of the second-half action.
Glasgow also introduced a plethora of replacements in an effort to force themselves back into contention, but Toulon extended their advantage with a penalty from Serin’s replacement, Benoit Paillaugue.
There was renewed hope for their Scottish counterparts when team captain Kyle Steyn weaved his way through for a converted finish on 56 minutes.
Yet this ultimately offered them a brief respite as Toulon swiftly reinforced their authority with clinical five-pointers courtesy of Jiuta Wainiqolo and Waisea Nayacalevu either side of the third-quarter mark.
Sebastian Cancelliere and Steyn (with his second) crossed the whitewash for a spirited Glasgow in the closing stages, but having closed out La Rochelle’s Champions Cup win over Leinster last year with a conversion in the final seconds, Ihaia West grabbed a late try in this game as Toulon sealed victory in some style.
SSCOERS – Toulon: B Serin 2 tries, 3 cons, S Parisse, J Wainiqolo, W Nayacalevu, I West try each, B Paillaugue pen, 2 cons. Glasgow Warriors: K Steyn 2 tries, S Cancelliere try, G Horne 2 cons.
TOULON: C Kolbe; J Wainiqolo, W Nayacalevu, D Paia’aua, G Villière; D Biggar, B Serin; D Priso, T Baubigny, B Gigashvili; M Tanguy, B Alainu’uese; C du Preez, C Ollivon, S Parisse.
Replacements: I West for Biggar (4 mins); J Sinzelle for Paia’aua (32); B Paillaugue for Serin, M Bastareaud for Villière (both h-t); C Tolofua for Baubigny (46); J-B Gros for Priso, K Brookes for Gigashvili (both 51); F Isa for Tanguy (58); M Tanguy for Parisse (70), B Gigashvili for Brookes (73).
GLASGOW WARRIORS: O Smith; S Cancelliere, H Jones, S Tuipulotu, K Steyn; D Miotti, G Horne; J Bhatti, F Brown, Z Fagerson; JP du Preez, S Cummings; M Fagerson, S Vailanu, J Dempsey.
Replacements: J Matthews for Brown, N McBeth for Bhatti, S Berghan for Z Fagerson, S McDowall for Miotti R Darge for Vailanu (all 46 mins); A Price for Cancelliere (53); R Gray for Cummings, L Bean for du Preez (both 66); Cancelliere for Smith (67).
Referee: W Barnes (England).