Toulon brush aside La Rochelle, Clermont held

European champions Toulon picked up a welcome 45-24 victory over La Rochelle on Saturday following a controversial week in which media group RTL accused the club of doping.

Fijian wing Josua Tuisova led the way with tries in each half while South African Juan Smith, English No.8 Steffon Armitage and Theo Belan also ran in scores, with scrum-half Jonathan Pelissie landing six conversions and a penalty in the bonus point victory.

Georgian prop Lekso Kaulashvili and wing Francois Herry scored tries for the visitors while both sides were also awarded a penalty try.

Less than a week after starting their trip to champions Stade Francais bottom of the Top 14 table, Toulon moved provisionally up to fifth on 10 points after picking up their second win from four matches.

"Winning at Stade Francais and against La Rochelle with the bonus point was our aim," said Toulon manager Bernard Laporte.

"Well done to the players. We had said that with 10 points after four matches we'd have had a good start to the season."

However, the fallout from a tumultuous week was still taking effect.
An RTL journalist reported that the club were implicated in an investigation into fraudulent practices by certain chemists issuing illegal prescriptions for medication.

But France's anti-doping agency and the rugby federation both denied Toulon were implicated in doping.

Toulon suffered a torrid start to the match as they trailed 17-3 after 20 minutes with Tuisova in the sin-bin -- after a high tackle that cost Toulon a penalty try, before Kaulashvili burrowed over from five metres against the 14 men.

"At the beginning of the match we conceded 14 points, two tries, from Tuisova's gesture and then conceding the second with 14 men," added Laporte.

"It wasn't going well but we didn't crumble. What I liked is that no-one gave up."

Toulon reacted like champions and once Vuisova was back on the field, he scored his first try before scores from Smith and Armitage helped the hosts into a 24-17 lead at the break.

"Toulon are one of those teams that are good enough to make you pay immediately," moaned La Rochelle coach Patrice Collazo.

"They don't need 50 chances, they finish them all off."
He added: "From the 30th minute we disappeared from the match, full-stop."

La Rochelle picked up yellow cards for Jean-Pascal Barraque and New Zealander Jason Eaton either side of half-time and Toulon extended their lead through a penalty try.

But even with 14 men, La Rochelle hit back through Herry's score to reduce the gap to 31-24.

However, the minnows ran out of legs towards the end and Belan and Vuisova again crossed the whitewash to wrap up victory.

- Rescued a draw -

Leaders Clermont saw their perfect start to the season ended at home to struggling Bordeaux-Begles in a 26-26 draw.

Last season's runners-up trailed 20-9 at the break after tries from No.8 Marco Tauleigne, scrum-half Baptiste Serin and wing Nans Ducuing.
Second half tries from former France international Aurelien Rougerie and English full-back Nick Abendanon helped Clermont rescue a draw.

The Jaunards remain top but Toulouse could draw level with them if they earn a bonus-point victory away to second division champions Pau on Sunday.

Stade Francais suffered a torrid evening as they went down 44-20 at Montpellier, who moved up to second.

South African lock Paul Willemse, Fijian flyer Timoci Nagusa and wing Marvin O'Connor all scored two tries in a bonus-point victory.

South African fly-half Meyer Bosman scored Stade's only try and the Parisians could find themselves rock bottom before the weekend is up.

Racing 92 got back to winning ways and are up to fourth after coming back from 11-3 down after a quarter of an hour to beat Grenoble 23-14.

Scrum-half Xavier Chauveau and former All Black Joe Rokocoko scored Racing's two tries with Armand Battle crossing the whitewash for Grenoble.

On Friday, 2013 champions Castres beat Oyonnax 35-26.
Source: AFP