Elsewhere on Friday, Jonny Wilkinson kicked 17 points as Toulon beat Stade Francais 22-18 in Paris to claim third spot in Top 14.

The returning England fly-half notched four penalties, a drop-goal and a conversion as Philippe Saint-André’s team rallied from 11-3 down to inflict Stade’s third home defeat of the season.

The Parisians had started positively enough with former Newcastle winger Ollie Phillips scooting over for the game’s opening try after just two minutes. His latest score continued a rich vein of form for Phillips as he touched down for his fourth try in eight league matches – and his fifth overall for Stade this season – but for the second week in succession it ultimately proved in a losing cause.

Fly-half Noel Oelschig was off target with his conversion attempt, allowing Wilkinson to narrow the gap to two points when he slotted a seventh-minute penalty in reply.

These two sides had drawn 22-22 in Toulon on the opening day of the season and it was clear this would be another close battle as Stade attempted to overcome the handicap of missing upwards of 15 players due to injuries and international calls. They even handed a Top 14 debut to former Nottingham youngster Charlie Davies, with the 19-year-old getting a rare start at scrum-half.

Oelschig kicked six more points – via a drop-goal and penalty – to push Stade 11-3 ahead but with half-time approaching Toulon got reward for a determined forward effort when winger Christian Loamanu touched down in the corner. Wilkinson added the conversion and then snuck over an opportunistic drop-goal with the final touch of the half as Toulon went in 13-11 ahead.

The England fly-half was temporarily dazed after a bruising encounter with Stade centre Mathieu Bastareaud, but the 30-year-old subsequently regathered his composure sufficiently to extend Toulon’s lead four minutes later with his second penalty success of the evening.

Stade replied with mounting goal-line pressure and it was no surprise when Bastareaud eventually piled over to bring the scores level after 52 minutes. Oelschig’s corner conversion saw the hosts edge ahead but Wilkinson wasn’t done yet and landed two more penalties (in the 58th and 75th minutes) as Toulon battled back for another landmark victory.

The Parisians pushed desperately for a late match-saving score but Loamanu’s kast-minute tackle of Julien Arias proved just enough to prevent the replacement winger touching down in the corner in the final minute of a pulsating match.

Saint-André was understandably delighted with the result at the final whistle, but Stade’s latest reverse means they have now won just one of their last four league games, and that was a hard-fought 23-18 home victory against basement club SCA
French Rugby Club