Rugby videos of tackles, tries, funny incidents and more: Toulouse sink Sale in the South of France

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Toulouse sink Sale in the South of France

Former European champions Toulouse sent a message out to the other contenders in the tournament as they put on a superb display of rugby as they beat the Sale Sharks 36-17 in the South of France.

Toulouse ran in five tries as they cruised to the bonus point win by dominating the forward battle, then letting their potent backs lose out wide.

Maxime Medard started things off, scoring an early try for the home side after a pinpoint crosskick. They led 24-3 at halftime, with wing Vincent Clerc scoring two tries as he took his tally to 30 tries in the Heineken Cup.

The French international has now overtaken Cardiff Blues wing Dafydd James as the leader for all time in the competition.

Yves Donguy scored the bonus point two minutes after the re-start, before adding the fifth try later in the half to take their lead out to 36-3.

Sale grabbed late consolation tries through prop-cum-lock Rob O'Donnell and wing Ben Cohen.

Toulouse manager Guy Noves described the first-half performance as "virtually excellent”, but warned that next week at Harlequins it will certainly be tougher.

England World Cup winner Ben Cohen took positives from the match, but paid due respect to the highly impressive French side.

"Toulouse attacked us from all angles and deserve respect for their style of play - it was difficult to stop them in the first half," he said.

Record try scorer Vincent Clerc, who's 30 tries came in only 47 appearances, was satisfied with the result and grateful for the opportunities that came his way.

"For myself it was nice to break the record but I didn’t have that in mind when I went out on the field. I wish to thank all the guys who helped me score those tries and I do hope especially that it won’t stop here," he said.

Time: 03:15

What a kick that second crossfield kick from Elissade was. simply magnificient. Also great the kick from Kelleher, after telling Donguy exactly what would come next.

By Ben, at October 13, 2009 7:42 pm
I was at the Stadium, great to see my team back to its best level :)
That was an awesome game by Toulouse with great attacking (Elissalde is just a magician) and MAGNIFICIENT defense (excepted on those 5 last minutes of course...) !

By ToulouseFan, at October 13, 2009 8:05 pm
Great team, their two new recruits: picamoles and Yann David are amazing, they could go all the way throught..as Stade Francais, Clermont, Munster, Leicester, Ospreys (with no injuries) and maybe Biarritz (very strong defense and forward play)

By Unknown, at October 13, 2009 8:08 pm
Unfortunately, this was a mere exhibition match in most respects for Toulouse! They won easily and made about 5 substitutions after half time, it was easy pickings for them!

Sale have injury problems but can a Sale fan actually explain how such an incredibly weak team was put out? Did Kingsley Jones just take this match as a loss?

The reason that Toulouse have been struggling early this season is that no side in the French division would defend so passively and allow them to get there Rugby Champagne going. Sale were very poor unfortunately.

As for the commentator's comment that Cohen's tackle on Medard was "a great tackle", I'm sorry but he certainly should have got him into touch. Cohen was poor for Brive and has come back even poorer by the looks of things.

I was hoping for a good game but unfortunately it was a walkover. Well played Toulouse nonetheless and Yann David and Picamoles seem like great signigns as everyone has said.

By John F, at October 13, 2009 8:27 pm
This was a fantastic match to watch, Toulouse gave Sale an absolute schooling.

At some points it was like they were playing 7's rugby with 15 players. The entire 1st have could've made it on to a highlights reel.

Ellissalde, Jauzion, Clerc and Medard are absolute world class.

Cohen is a shadow of his former self, suprised he can still make 1st team?

By The Inside Shoulder, at October 13, 2009 8:57 pm
c'était pas top top ce match...on peut pas les juger là-dessus, y'avait aucune opposition

By Anonymous, at October 13, 2009 8:58 pm
Toulouse from watching this weren't actually that good. What was Medard doing for that try, why didn't he just pass it? And why didn't Donguy just pick it up instead of using his chest to get it over the line? And then Clerc for the last try, he was right there, but behind all the Sale players, which was no good to anyone. I can't help thinking that against a good team they wouldn't get so many lucky breaks.

Anyway what does everyone think of the commentator Mark Robson? I think he's good, although I think Ryle Nugent, the RTE one is better.

By MmmMunster, at October 13, 2009 9:18 pm
To all the team involved in the Heineken Cup, please give us that kind of game everytime, that's so enjoyable.

By Murf, at October 13, 2009 9:26 pm
The Inside Shoulder, this is hardly a first team

15 Vakacegu 14 Cohen 13 Kennedy 12 Tuilagi 11 Ripol 10 MacLeod 9 Peel 1 Kerr 2 Schwalger 3 Forster 4 O'Donnell 5 Cox 6 Gaskell 7 Seymour 8 Fearns

And yes Cohen has looked poor since he joined Sale. Missed tackles, no pace and just generally a terrible signing by the looks of things.

Compare that team of youngsters, journeymen and past it players (honourable exception Dwayne Peel) to the team that sensationally won in Clermont last year with a try scoring bonus point 32-15

15 Lamont 14 Cueto 13 McAlister 12 Thomas 11 Doherty 10 Wigglesworth 9 Peel 1 Faure 2 Briggs 3 Roberts 4 C Jones 5 Ormsby 6 Fernandez Lobbe 7 Abraham 8 Chabal

To be fair for their expensively assembled squad of the past few years, one English Premiership title is a poor return. They have lost half a first team this summer and made a poor start to the league and now this non-performance against Toulouse.

Don't get me wrong, Toulouse can play some beautiful rugby, but you still have to let them play this rugby as only Brive in the Top 14 have let them do prior to this match against Sale.

I have to disagree wholeheartedly with the idea that this was a top game. It was a walkover!

By John F, at October 13, 2009 9:43 pm
Incidentally, I felt sorry for Dwayne Peel playing for Sale on Sunday, the club is going backwards, just like his career! Go back to Scarlets or go to France and join a club with some ambition! He is in serious danger of wasting the rest of his career at Sale.

By John F, at October 13, 2009 9:45 pm
Wasnt trying to suggest this was a first team.

Cohen has started a couple of GP games this season though.

By The Inside Shoulder, at October 13, 2009 9:53 pm
Medard is magic, the Blanco of pro-era ...

By Anonymous, at October 13, 2009 9:53 pm
I think the key in this clip is to see just how slowly the Sale defence move up, drift, just how slowly they do anything in fact!

By John F, at October 13, 2009 10:44 pm
Sale's defence was absolutely appalling. They stood there ball-watching whilst Toulouse rang rings round them. They deserved to get embarrassed like that. Toulouse really took their chances though, great play.

Also, what the hell was Medard playing at? Why would he not just give the ball the greedy bastard.

By T, at October 13, 2009 11:47 pm
I watched this match
The 1st half was just brilliant from toulouse. sometimes, they seem too easy, they could have scored, 2 or 3 tries more with more death spirit.

Need to see what they will be able to do in England grounds..

By Flooz, at October 14, 2009 9:41 am
That cross kick was outrageously good...

Cohen won't last long if he doesn't discover a defence... Sale pride themselves on d. and his is shocking! Jesus, that guy played for England.

With the players and management they've lost I think it was nothing but pragmatic for Sale to field a weakened side for this fixture. They surely recognise that escaping the group is unlikely, and a top 6 Premiership place the main aim. It's a rebuilding year for the Sharks, and I'll expect them to be a force by the spring.

By Hackney Griffin, at October 14, 2009 10:58 am
Hackney Griffin,

You have to admit that he was pretty good for England when the won the world cup though!

It's weird to think that he is only 31, not that old and yet he has clearly been past his best for several years now. Well taken try at the end, but the rest of his match was pretty poor.

What a shame if Sale are going to put out a B team for every away game.

Well done Treviso though, sounded like a hard fought win over Perpignan. I've only seen the 2 minute highlights off the erc website so I've no idea if Perpignan had a strong side out or if they played poorly or not.

By John F, at October 14, 2009 11:19 am
that kick was incredible!!!!!!!!
hope the french teams give their all in the H Cup this year bcos it will make it very interesting...

By Anonymous, at October 14, 2009 1:59 pm
ahem....prop-cum-lock?? shouldn't it be prop-come-lock? .....

By Anonymous, at October 14, 2009 6:36 pm
jeu de mains! jeu de toulousains!
after seeing poor matches of toulouse in top 14, it's good to see them at their best once again, even with a poor sale side
Hope we'll go all the way this year

I got surgery done on my knee last week and recuperating slowly
good to see that Vincent came back to his best after the same injury!

By kevdetoulouse, at October 15, 2009 11:40 pm
1.21 for the worst attempted tackle ever.

Pathetic.

I thought Cohen's tackle was a good attempt...he can't help a ridiculous piece of skill from the sideburns can he? you can't expect someone to surf your body for a try :)

By thedannyclayton, at October 16, 2009 11:51 am