By Big-Al
December 22 2010

I have to start by mentioning the travel problems that affected many of those planning to be in Toulon. Many didn’t make it out there at all with many others delayed – and I hope by the time this report is published, everyone will have made it safely home.

I guess I was one of the lucky ones with only minor delays in both directions – big thanks to MadMonk and Mrs Monk for organising the Monk express coach from Marseille to Toulon and back. Once in Toulon, news started to filter through about the travel chaos that started to unfold not long after our departure.

Moving on – and my pre-match thoughts, after 6 straight defeats what we really needed was a good solid team performance, a 5 pointers and we would be back in the mix for progressing in the HC, but realistically the HC is already behind us for this season and what we are after is some positives to take forward into the forthcoming rounds of AP matches.

Match day – the team news is that Felipe Contepomi has replaced Jonny (who is not even in the 23) for Toulon and Molly replaces Ryan for us. Pre-match we have a large number of flags, provided by the club, to distribute – so plenty of the Irish supporters had flags to wave during the game and many Toulon supporters have souvenirs of our visit. The flag distribution continued at the MadMonk lunch (more big thanks to Monks) – I know these mass events are not everyone’s thing, but something like 80 of us attended and all appeared to enjoy the pre-match nourishment.

Being in the cheap seats behind the posts, I set off for the Stade Mayol in good time, handing out the last of the flags outside the stadium, mainly to Toulon supporters. A good position was selected, flags put on display – hopefully we were both visible and audible to those watching at home.

Before I start on the match itself, I should point out that as the option to record the match from the SKY red button was not available before I set out on Friday morning, I only have my notes to rely on for this report – and being behind the posts isn’t always the best viewpoint – that said, many of those sat around me managed to spot all manner of offences that Sir and his assistants missed.

Toulon kick off the first half, playing towards the massed ranks of Irish supporters. JJ fields the kick off and Molly clears to half way.
On 4 minutes the first scrum of the match goes to Toulon, we are pinged for something that Sir must have got wrong, and Toulon gain a lineout about 30m out – we are then pinged for bringing down the maul and Contepomi slots over the penalty, so on 6 minutes it is Toulon 3, Irish 0.
A couple of minutes later we have our first put in to the scrum – our scrum appears (from a distance) to hold up OK but as we break we are bundled into touch.

Next up, a Toulon clearance goes directly into touch giving us an attacking line out – the resulting play leads to an attempted drop goal from Molly but his effort is just wide.
On 13 minutes we have a penalty just outside our 22, but Molly misses touch, Toulon kick back deep into our half and Delon clears back into the Toulon half. Toulon run the ball back but are halted by a high tackle from Delon – from my angle, I think he was lucky to escape a card.

17 minutes and we have a penalty for a scrum offence and Molly finds a good touch, so we have a line out on the Toulon 22 – we go through a number of phases going sideways, not forwards and eventually get pinged for holding on (I feel I have written sentences like that in previous match reports).

A few minutes later Toulon break, with an overlap and the try line beaconing Losi deliberately knocks on and receives a yellow card. Toulon get a 5m lineout from the penalty, maul to about 2m and break to score the opening try through Olivier Missoup, Contepomi converts and the lead in now 10-0.
A few minutes later we have a penalty about 58m out, Delon goes for the points, but his effort is well wide.

Losi returns after 32 minutes – so we have only conceded 7 points during his absence.

With the half drawing to a close, Toulon have a 5m line out after one of Dodge’s try saving moments (we have a least one each match) gets a kick through into touch. From the line out Toulon move the ball inside and then back wide for Mickael Ivaldi to cross for Toulon’s second try – Contepomi again gets the extras so it is 17-0 at half time.

The half time conversation includes discussing if we have made it in to the Toulon 22 (we thought not) and where a point might come from – but I’ve been supporting Irish long enough to know we are always better in the second half, so still all to play for.

We kick off the second half, fielded on the 22 and cleared. Irish possession – going sideways, Toulon get possession and go forwards.
On 44 minutes Losi is shown a second yellow, so red carded – not certain what for but an offence at the breakdown after there had been a warning to both teams by the ref.

On 48 minutes we have a penalty on the Toulon 10m line and Molly is on target making the score 17-3. George replaces Chris. A couple of minutes later Alex replaces Clarke and Paulica is on for Faan.

An Irish penalty and Molly only just finds touch, setting up a line out on the Toulon 22, from the line out we go across the field and back again – Delon makes a break, passes to Molly and we have a try – Molly converts and it is 17-10 – we are back in it.

A couple of minutes later – Molly misses touch with a penalty.
The next replacement is Kieran for Nick on 61 minutes.

We have a scrum on the Toulon 22 and then go through the phases making ground and ALEX scores, MOLLY converts – it is 17-17 – COME ON YOU IRISH – yes, I’m getting excited (and my notes are difficult to read at the best of times).
Unfortunately our comeback was to be short lived, Contepomi breaks through to score and converts, so after 68 minutes Toulon are back in front – 24-17.

Topsy replaces JJ.

We have the ball in the Toulon 22 but possession is lost and Toulon go the length of the pitch for Tom May to score their forth try – Contepomi converts and Toulon lead 31-17 after 73 minutes.

Faan is back on in place of Paulica.

Following an Irish clearance, Toulon run the ball back, break a tackle or 2 and Christian Loamanu scores, Contepomi converts – with a few minutes still to play the score is 38-17.

Darren replaces Dodge and Brian Blaney is on for Bob

The last play of the game ends with an Irish knock on – Toulon win 38-17.

My post match thoughts – well we do have at least one positive to take from this match, to come back from 17-0 down to level the scores at 17-17 with 14 men is no mean feat – however Toulon were finding holes in our defence when we had a full team on the pitch, so it is no surprise that they found a few more holes in order to wrap at the match. Looking forward, we have a good team, but things are not clicking at the moment – and with the HC as good as over with for this season, we need to turn things round pretty quickly so that the AP season is not over as well – I don’t have the answers, hopefully Toby and co do.

The evening was spent in the Toulon supporters club house – after presenting the Toulon Supporters with an LISC plaque to commemorate the first meetings between the clubs, it would have been rude not to hang around for a drink or 2 or ….

Sunday – a leisurely breakfast followed by a leisurely lunch and a little bit of sight-seeing.

Monday – back home.