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Le tenant du titre a validé son billet pour les quarts le week-end dernier mais espère bien le jouer à domicile. Il faudra pour ça aller chercher une victoire sur la pelouse de Glasgow. Pas si simple. - 17/01/2014 09:13
Jonny Wilkinson has called on holders Toulon to end their erratic form at Glasgow Warriors.
The reigning European champions can secure a home quarter-final with victory at Scotstoun.
Toulon secured their place in the last eight with a late bonus-point victory over Cardiff Blues last week. However, that came after a home defeat to Grenoble in the Top 14, as well as below par performances on the road in the Heineken Cup at Exeter Chiefs and Cardiff.
Now Wilkinson, the third highest points scorer in the competition this season, has urged his team mates to build consistency as they aim for the league and Heineken Cup double.
“We were relieved after last week’s win because there had been a lot of pressure. But that was only the first step on a very long path,” said Wilkinson.
“The important thing is to find some consistency. Every time we train, every time we play, we get closer to finding it, we get better.
“We’ve alternated too often between winning and losing. You can’t build a season like that. If we don’t perform every week, we’ll be empty-handed at the end of the season.”
They face a Warriors side also struggling for consistency having won just five of their last 10 games.
However, they possess four of the most elusive attackers in the tournament in Nikola Matawalu, Sean Maitland, Ruaridh Jackson and Dth Van Der Merwe. And two wins over Exeter have left Gregor Townsend’s side in with a chance of snatching a place in the Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-finals as pool runners-up.
“In a way there is less pressure this week. We have Toulon coming and there is nothing to lose,” said Townsend. “The game was away from us out there (in Toulon) by the second half, but then we played some of the best rugby we have played all year and, if we can repeat that, then we have a chance at home.
“We know how difficult it will be because Toulon will be looking for a home quarter-final. They have great depth and quality throughout their squad, but we believe we can play better.”
Match facts
Toulon hammered Glasgow 51-28 in their only previous tournament meeting last October.
Glasgow gained more metres (501) than Toulon (453) in Round 1, despite the home side spending over two minutes longer in possession.
Of the 15 players to successfully kick 15 + goals this season, Jonny Wilkinson has the worst success rate (73%).
On average, Glasgow have conceded more turnovers per game (19.6) than any other club in the Heineken Cup.
Le tenant du titre est allée chercher une victoire sérieuse sur la pelouse de Glasgow (15-8) grâce à la botte de Wilkinson et une grosse défense. Elle lui permettra de recevoir son quart de final début avril. - 18/01/2014 18:10
Toulon will have invaluable home advantage in the quarter-finals on the first weekend of April – thanks to the trusty boot of Jonny Wilkinson.
He kicked the defending Heineken Cup champions to a hard-fought Pool 2 victory at a soggy Scotstoun Stadium with five penalty goals and take them to 24 match points.
Toulon have now qualified for the knock-out stages in each of the three seasons in which they have taken part in Europe’s premier tournament, this their 17th win in their 22nd match in the blue riband competition.
The big-spending French giants had triumphed 51-28 at Stade Felix Mayol in Round 1 but were made to work hard for the double over the battling Scottish side who scored the only try of a tight contest.
The testing conditions saw Glasgow lose the turnover count 18-9 and although Toulon captain did Wilkinson miss an opportunity to open the scoring with a drop goal attempt that failed to find the target – and there was more disappointment for the usually ace marksman when he failed with a 17th minute penalty goal chance.
It was, however, third time lucky for the World Cup winner when he landed a 27th minute penalty – only for Ruaridh Jackson to level matters three minutes later as the outside half celebrated his 100th appearances for the club with their first points to capitalise on some fine enterprising play.
Toulon’s scrum power meant Wilkinson was able to strike again with the boot shortly before the break to edge the champions in front for the second time with his second penalty.
And he was right back in the groove just two minutes after the restart with his third successive success quickly followed by a fourth, Gregor Townsend electing to make three changes for the Warriors, including new half backs Chris Cusiter and Duncan Weir.
Toulon lost Sebastien Tillous-Borde for 10 minutes when English referee JP Doyle sent him off to the sin bin and both sides were a man down when Niko Matawalu joined the Toulon scrum half for a deliberate knock on.
Wilkinson duly punished the home side on the scoreboard before Stuart Hogg was off target with a drop goal attempt.
But there was better news for the Warriors with the ball in hand, a charged down kick producing a try for back rower Chris Fusaro after confirmation from the TMO.
It was brilliant opportunism by the open-side to dive over the top of a ruck and get the downward pressure but Weir failed to add the extra points and although Wilkinson then missed both penalty and drop goal attempts his boot had already done the damage.
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