What a feat! What a performance both offensively and defensively. There was no photo in Marseille, where the LOU suffocated Toulon, while most observers expected the opposite. But the LOU put things right from the start. In the 55th second, Taufua on receiving a small game at the foot of Ngatai gave Couilloud the try. But it was canceled for an unobvious forward from the Lyon captain.
A few minutes later, we found the same two actors behind and at the conclusion of the first attempt at LOU. Taufua intercepted a hazardous pass from Parisse. Taken back, he found Couilloud in support who deposited the ball in the promised land, thus rewarding the good start from Lyon.
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The Toulon reaction was not long in coming. After a rough kick from Arnold, Serin found the opening and, a few playing times later, he scored the try for the equalizer close to a maul (7-7, 17th). LOU dominated the rest of the half. Admittedly, he arrived at the break with a three-point lead (10-7) thanks to a penalty from Berdeu. But his efforts had not been rewarded at their fair value.
One foot on the expensive line
First there was this contentious action, where Luc did not seem to flatten in the in-goal unlike Ngatai (30th). Then there was this penalty in good position missed by Berdeu (39th). Finally there was this incredible blunder from Niniashvili (40th). While he had managed to reach the tight in-goal of the Vélodrome after a penalty played by hand by Couilloud, the Lyon winger wanted to get closer to the posts. And, according to video referee, England’s Ian Tempest, he stepped on the dead ball line before scoring. In the meantime, the LOU only led by three points at halftime…
But his will to play did not die out when he returned from the locker room. And in three minutes, the LOU made the difference with a penalty try following a voluntary forward from Luc (yellow card) on a pass between Arnold and Niniashvili. Then after a raise from Tuisova, Barassi was the quickest to recover a game at the foot of Berdeu (24-7, 48th).
Then, the Lyonnais braced themselves in defense. Their heroic aggressiveness repelled the Toulon assaults which only managed to find the fault at the end of the match with a try from Kolbe at the end of the line. But victory had chosen its side a long time ago, to the delight of LOU, author of an incredible feat.
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