TOULON WILL PLAY Glasgow in the final of the Challenge Cup after beating Treviso 23-0 on Sunday despite playing a man down for most of the match.
France flanker Charles Ollivon saw red for a head-high tackle, but Toulon kept their nerve to see off the Italian side, a day after Glasgow beat Scarlets 35-17 in Llanelli.
The final between Glasgow and Toulon will be held in Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on 19 May.
The result also represents a major boost for Connacht’s Champions Cup hopes. Had Scarlets or Benetton won the Challenge Cup, they would have replaced Connacht as the United Rugby Championship’s final qualifier for the Champions Cup. Now Connacht will only be denied a Champions Cup place if the Sharks pull of an unlikely URC success — with the South African side heading to Dublin for a URC quarter-final meeting with Leinster next weekend.
At the Stade Felix Mayol today, Toulon’s veteran No 8 Sergio Parisse, who turned professional with Treviso in 2002 to start a long career that also saw him win 142 Italy caps, was the instigator for the opening try.
The 39-year-old toe-poked a dribbling ball through for centre Duncan Paia’aua to gather and score.
Wales fly-half Dan Biggar converted, but disaster then struck for the home side when Ollivon was red-carded in the seventh minute for a tackle on Italy full-back Matteo Minozzi that saw his shoulder hit the Treviso player’s face.
Despite being a man down, Toulon remained in control, Biggar adding a penalty before Georgia prop Beka Gigashvili crashed over for Toulon’s second try, the Welshman converted for a 17-0 half-time lead.
Biggar continued his faultless display with the boot with two penalties early in the second period as Toulon ground out the comprehensive win at a packed Stade Mayol to set up a final against Glasgow.
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