Toulon stun Saracens 72-42 in Champions Cup
Kyle Sinckler was part of the winning Toulon side
©PA
Toulon delivered one of the most sensational comebacks in Champions Cup history, overturning a 22-point first-half deficit to demolish Saracens 72-42 in a pulsating Round of 16 clash at Stade Mayol.
What started as a Saracens blitz turned into a French masterclass, as Toulon ran in 11 tries and shut out the visitors in the second half.
The game exploded into life from the very first whistle. Saracens were out of the blocks quickly, with flanker Juan Martín González pouncing on a loose ball in the 4th minute to dive over for the opening try. Fergus Burke slotted the conversion to make it 0-7.
Toulon hit back swiftly in the 7th minute, with Jiuta Wainiqolo finishing in the corner and Melvyn Jaminet levelling with the boot. Saracens replied almost immediately as Nick Tompkins crossed in the 9th minute, and Olly Hartley added another try in the 16th, both converted by Burke, pushing the score to 13-21 after two Jaminet penalties in between.
Saracens weren’t done. González bagged his second try in the 22nd minute, and scrum-half Ivan van Zyl followed in the 31st, with Burke nailing both conversions to make it 13-35. At that point, Saracens looked in complete control.
But Toulon had other ideas. They responded before halftime with tries from Facundo Isa (35’) and Jaminet (39’), both converted, reducing the gap to 27-35 at the break — a vital swing in momentum.
The second half belonged entirely to Toulon. Brian Alainu'uese scored just four minutes after the restart, and Jaminet’s conversion put Toulon in the lead for the first time at 34-35. From there, the floodgates opened.
Facundo Isa completed his hat-trick with tries in the 55th and 59th minutes, as the Saracens defense began to unravel under constant pressure. Jaminet kept up his 100% kicking rate, stretching the lead to 48-35.
Leicester Fainga’anuku joined the scoring party in the 62nd minute, and although James Hadfield pulled one back for Saracens in the 65th, Jaminet responded again, scoring his second try in the 70th to make it 62-42.
Two final blows were delivered in quick succession. Baptiste Serin and Setariki Tuicuvu crossed in the 74th and 76th minutes, respectively, and Jaminet’s metronomic boot added the final touches for a 72-42 demolition — Toulon’s biggest-ever score in Champions Cup history.
