Glasgow 9-12 Toulouse

THEY MIGHT NOT be playing quite the same champagne brand as Toulon and Clermont but Toulouse have quietly put together the most impressive Champions Cup resume of any team this season.

They left Glasgow with a 12-9 win today to earn their fourth straight pool victory and they’ve already proven they can win a multitude of ways.

Their opening victory over Montpellier was chock-full of the liquid, free-flowing rugby that make neutrals purr but today’s four-point haul needed a more forward-orientated effort.

The Toulouse back row of Louis Picamoles, Thierry Dusautoir and Yannick Nyanga is as good as any in the tournament and they worked very effectively as a unit at Scotstoun.

It was a tight, tense affair throughout and the visitors led 6-3 at the break with two Sebastien Bezy penalties to one from Finn Russell.

Toulouse pulled away in the early portion of the second half with two further Bezy kicks before Gregor Townsend replaced out-half Russell with Duncan Weir.

Townsend’s replacements seem to work as his side reduced the gap to three points after two Weir penalties but despite pressing for a winning score in the Toulouse 22 in the dying moments, tigerish defence from the French side – and Louis Picamoles in particular – saw them over the line.