Toulouse 22
Bordeaux-Begles 17
John Fallon reports from Stade Ernest-Wallon
IAN MADIGAN CAME off the bench to kick two penalties and set up Bordeaux-Begles’ first try of the season but it wasn’t enough to prevent a first defeat of the season.
Madigan was introduced in place of former French international Lionel Beauxis as Bordeaux-Begles made nine changes from the side which opened the previous week with a home win over champions Racing 92.
Madigan was sprung from the bench on 32 minutes after Beauxis, who had missed two from four penalties, suffered a thigh injury, with French scrum-half Sebastien Bezy kicking three at the other end to give Toulouse a 9-6 lead.
Madigan missed his first kick from 30 metres in front of the posts, but then kept his nerve just before the break to land a superb effort from 35 metres on the right wing, to make it 9-9 at the break, on a pitch which carved up like beach sand at every scrum.
The force which Connacht will face in the Champions Cup at the Sportsground in October was apparent in a Toulouse side that started with 13 internationals from five countries, with another four capped players on the bench.
Yet their moments of dominance were rare in the opening half, although the class of French international Gael Fickou was obvious, while Samoan winger Paul Perez was also a big threat.
Bordeaux-Begles, struggling in the lineout on their own ball, edged in front five minutes after the restart, when Madigan landed a penalty from just inside halfway, but Toulouse hit back with two more kicks from Bezy to lead 15-12 going into the final quarter.
Toulouse, despite an abundance of possession, lacked inventive play and Bordeaux soaked up the pressure.
The opening try for Toulouse came from a bad Bordeaux mistake with replacement hooker Benat Auzqui overthrowing on a short lineout six metres from his own line and his counterpart Julien Marchand, a French U20 last year, grabbed and dived over with Bezy converting for 22-12.
But Bordeaux countered and went wide with a penalty advantage, with Madigan throwing a perfect long pass for his full-back Jean Marcellin Buttin, twice capped for France in 2012, to dive over in the right corner, with Madigan unable to land the difficult conversion, as Toulouse held on for their second win of the campaign.
Toulose:
Try: Julien Marchand
Con: Sebastien Bezy
Pens: Sebastien Bezy (5)
Bordeaux-Begles:
Try: Jean Marcellin Buttin
Pens: Lionel Beauxis (2), Ian Madigan (2)
Toulouse: Yoann Huget; Paul Perez, Florian Fritz (Sofiane Guitoune 76), Gael Fickou, Alexis Palisson; Jean Marc Doussain, Sebastien Bezy; Gurthro Steenkamp (Cyril Baille 52), Leonardo Ghiraldini (Julien Marchand 52), Maks Van Dyk (Dorian Aldegheri 39); Yoann Maestri (Gregory Lamboley 64), Richie Gray; Thierry Dusautoir (Joe Tekori 70), Piula Faasalele (Gillian Galan 52), Talaleil Gray.
Bordeaux-Begles: Jean Marcellin Buttin, Geoffrey Cros (Josala Vakacegu 70), Jayden Spence, Julien Rey, Blair Connor; Lionel Beauxis (Ian Madigan 32), Bapiste Serin (Julien Audy 76); Jefferson Poirot (Sebastien Taofifenua 52), Ronan Chambord (Benat Auzqui 29), Marc Clerc (Vadim Cobilas 42); Luke Jones, Cyril Cazeaux (Johan Aliquat 56); Luke Braid, Hugh Chalmers (Marco Tauleigne 64), Loann Goujon.
Referee: Alexandre Ruiz
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