Toulon 21-20 Scarlets: report | Daily Mail Online

• Toulon took commanding early lead but Scarlets powered back into contest  
• Impressive French side scored tries through Guilhem Guirado and Eric Escande
• Former Toulon player Leigh Halfpenny pulled strings as Welsh side came back 
• Ultimately full back had kick late on to put his team in front but missed wide 

By Press Association Reporter

Published: 18:44 BST, 15 October 2017 | Updated: 18:44 BST, 15 October 2017

The Scarlets gave three-time Champions Cup winners Toulon an almighty fright before finally being edged out 21-20 in their Pool Five encounter in France.

The Welsh side bounced back from letting the home side take an 18 point lead as they forced their noses in front in the second half before finally coming up just short.

Toulon scored at a point a minute in the opening quarter of an hour as they punished the reigning Guinness PRO 12 champions. They scored two tries and looked in complete control of their opening game of the tournament.

Mamuka Gorgodze shows his immense strength as he powers through the defence 

Mathieu Bastareaud charges forward and looks to barge his way over the the gainline 

Scrum half Eric Escande intercepted a pass from opposite number Aled Davies from a line-out near halfway to scamper 40 metres to the line and then skipper Guilhem Guirado rounded off a thrilling break out from the 22 with a corner try.

Outside half Anthony Belleau converted Escande’s try and also kicked two penalties to leave the Scarlets trailing by 18 points.

But they were eventually able to get their hands on some possession, found a way to stop the home side’s power runners and at least got some points on the board before the break when Leigh Halfpenny kicked a penalty against his former club.

Home full back Hugo Bonneval was then sent to the sin-bin for taking out Davies at the breakdown and the Scarlets almost scored at the end of the first half with a one man advantage.

Josua Tuisova is hauled down as Toulon string together a number of attacking phases

Former Toulon star Leigh Halfpenny performed well on his return to the Stade Felix Mayol

Johnny McNicholl reached the line after a sweeping move from right to left, but lost the ball in the act of scoring.

The Scarlets made their extra man count at the start of the second half when McNicholl leaped above Chris Ashton to pick off a cross-kick from Rhys Patchell to bag a try that Halfpenny converted.

Things got even better eight minutes later when the Scarlets and Lions full back knifed through for a try that he converted to make it a one point game.

A closely fought contest saw the Pro 12 champions come storming back but it wasn’t enough 

Now it was the visitors who were in the ascendancy and when Halfpenny stepped up to kick a penalty on the hour it was the PRO12 champions who were ahead after scoring 20 unanswered points.

The lead did not last long because four minutes later Tadhg Beirne was penalised at the breakdown and Francois Trinh-Duc regained the lead for his side with a 30 metre penalty.

The drama did not end there as Halfpenny kicked a difficult penalty wide of the mark and Toulon’s Sebastien Tillous-Borde was held up over the line in the 81st minute. 

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