Toulouse stung by the Wasps
The reigning European champion, Toulouse, lost 30-22 on the Wasps field, after a match in which the Red and Blacks nevertheless played 15 against 14 for 50 minutes.
Stoppage for the defending champion! Undefeated in the Champions Cup since September 2020 and their elimination in the semi-finals of the 2019-20 edition, the Rouge et Noir lost this Saturday on the Wasps pitch during the 3rd day: 30-22. As a mark of pace after having played only one match in the last month (defeat at Clermont on January 1), Toulouse did not manage to beat an English team but reduced to 14 from the 33rd minute.
Toulouse mark after 72 seconds
However, everything had started perfectly for Ugo Mola’s men, who scored the first try of the match in the 73rd second, thanks to François Cros after a touch on the left side and a carried ball (0-7). But after a first quarter of an hour where they did not see the light of day, the Wasps woke up and were rewarded in the 18th minute with a try from Biyi Ayo, also after a touch, a carried ball, and a nice fake pass from Sam Wolstenholme who made the difference (7-7). On their product, the Black and Yellow scored a second try four minutes later, by Brad Shields, after a touch and a ball carried on a good combination (14-7). It was then in the 34th minute that the match could have changed in favor of Toulouse, after the red card received by Jacob Umaga (the nephew of the legendary Tana), following a head-to-head clash with Martin Page-Relo which seemed involuntary (14-10, mt). But yet, it didn’t change anything for the European and French champions, who failed to come back.
The Wasps did not give Toulouse hope
Jimmy Gopperth took advantage of Toulouse’s indiscipline (yellow card for Anthony Jelonch in the 54th) to add to the penalty list (20-10, 55th), but Peato Mauvaka gave the Stadium hope by scoring a try while being at the origin (touch then ball carried) and at the conclusion of the action (20-15, 60th). The hope was short-lived, however, because seven minutes later, Alfie Barbeary scored in turn, following a scrum from 22m and a good action on the right side (27-15, 68th). At the very end of the match (a match that lasted 2h08, including breaks!), Paulo Tafili scored the last try for Toulouse, after a lot of work from the forwards, but it was too late and the Red and Blacks left England without the slightest point. They are fifth in the standings with a late game before hosting Cardiff next week.