Knocked out: Toulouse
Toulouse were knocked out of the European Rugby Champions Cup at the pool stage after losing 27-26 against Montpellier at Altrad Stadium on Sunday.
Clement Poitrenaud's try and eight points from the boot of Luke McAlister gave Les Rouge et Noir a 13-9 lead at the interval.
Two Ben Lucas penalties and another from Benoit Paillaugue was the home side's response, but they were unable to build on that in the early stages of the second half.
Toby Flood's score extended Toulouse's lead, but Lucas Dupont went over twice in quick succession as the hosts took a surprise advantage.
Flood's two three-pointers to Paillaugue's one moved the away team ahead, but another successful Lucas effort from the tee proved decisive.
The visitors' first four rounds all resulted in victories, but they had received a major setback when they succumbed to Bath 35-18 last weekend. Guy Novès' men were therefore in need of a win to confirm their place in the knockout stages but, against a team looking to impress recently appointed head coach Jake White, it was no easy task.
Even if Montpellier were already out of the competition, White named a strong team and that was rewarded with a battling first half performance.
A Lucas penalty gave them a deserved 3-0 lead before Rene Ranger was sin-binned for a tip-tackle.
To their credit, the hosts dealt with that blow superbly and actually extended that advantage while the winger was off the field through Paillaugue's three-pointer.
One of their mistakes was punished, though, as a clearance kick was charged down and Poitrenaud crossed the whitewash. McAlister, who had struggled from the tee, dispatched the conversion, before Montpellier went back in front through the boot of their fly-half.
However, Toulouse went into the break four points ahead when two more successful efforts from McAlister sailed between the uprights.
Flood went over soon after the restart to seemingly put les Rouge et Noir in command, but Montpellier weren't finished and mounted a superb response.
An excellently worked counter-attack involving Ranger and Akapusi Qera resulted in Dupont going over. The same player then crossed the whitewash for the second following good work from Paillaugue as the home team went 21-20 in front.
Flood and Paillaugue then trade three-pointers, but the visitors moved 26-24 ahead in the final 15 minutes when their replacement fly-half was once again successful from the tee. However, Lucas' penalty ended Toulouse's Champions Cup campaign.
The scorers:
For Montpellier:
Tries: Dupont 2
Con: Lucas
Pen: Lucas 3, Paillaugue 2
For Toulouse:
Tries: Poitrenaud, Flood
Con: McAlister, Flood
Pen: McAlister 2, Flood 2
Montpellier: 15 Pierre Berard, 14 Rene Ranger, 13 Anthony Tuitavake, 12 Robert Ebersohn, 11 Lucas Dupont, 10 Benjamin Lucas, 9 Benoit Paillaugue, 8 Akapusi Qera, 7 Antoine Battut, 6 Fulgence Ouedraogo (c), 5 Thibaut Privat, 4 Tom Donnelly, 3 David Attoub, 2 Charles Géli, 1 Mikheil Nariashvili.
Replacements: 16 Mickaël Ivaldi, 17 Yvan Watremez, 18 Pat Cilliers, 19 Robins Tchale Watchou, 20 Alexandre Bias, 21 Jonathan Pélissié, 22 Enzo Selponi, 23 Benoit Sicart.
Toulouse: 15 Maxime Médard, 14 Vincent Clerc, 13 Gaël Fickou, 12 Clément Poitrenaud, 11 Yoann Huget, 10 Luke McAlister, 9 Jean-Marc Doussain, 8 Gillian Galan, 7 Yannick Nyanga, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (c), 5 Patricio Albacete, 4 Yoann Maestri, 3 Census Johnston, 2 Corey Flynn, 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Julien Marchand, 17 Vasil Kakovin, 18 Cyril Baille, 19 Joe Tekori, 20 Grégory Lamboley, 21 Jano Vermaak, 22 Toby Flood, 23 Florian Fritz.
Venue: Altrad Stadium
Referee: Greg Garner (England)
Assistant referees: Luke Pearce (England), Roy Maybank (England)
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