Full time: Northampton Saints 52 Toulon 11
Six tries in the second half saw Northampton Saints power into the European Challenge Cup quarter-finals as one of the top two seeds.
It means Saints will have a home quarter-final and a semi-final at fortress Franklin's Gardens.
It was tighter than expected in the first half, but two tries each from Chris Ashton and Soane Tonga'uiha, plus singles from Mark Easter and Stephen Myler saw the French strugglers finally cave in as Saints hit the half-century for the second time against Toulon in Europe this season.
Toulon went straight to their giant No.8 Sisaro Koyamibole from the start, but he was downed and turned over by 19-year-old flanker Courtney Lawes. Saints kicked to touch and another penalty at the lineout gave Stephen Myler the first shot at the posts. He smacked it over to give Saints a 3-0 lead after three minutes.
Toulon came back with a dropped goal attempt from Damien Vidal that drifted wide.
The visitors had nothing to play for, but a turnover 10m in their half saw Toulon's backs burn down the field, Imbert kicked ahead but he knocked on as dived to touch it down with Sean Lamont covering.
Toulon certainly didn't look like the second worst side in France with Saints looking off the pace and Vidal deservedly drew them level on 22 minutes with a penalty.
It woke Saints up and a minute later they drove a scrum 10m on to Toulon's 22. A blindside move saw Chris Ashton charge to within inches of the line and Matt Henjak was sin-binned for killing the ball.
After that amazing shove Saints went for the scrum and after another penalty, powered over for No.8 Mark Easter to dot down. Myler converted from the touchline to put Saints 8-3 ahead after 28 minutes.
But Ashton dropped the ball just outside his 22 and 14-man Toulon smashed their way to the line with their big forwards after a free-kick was given at the scrum. Kefu burrowed over from 3m to make it 10-8 on 32 minutes as Vidal missed the conversion.
Henjak returned from the bin just as Vidal fell well short with a 54m penalty, but it was certainly game on for the second half.
Saints scored within two minutes of the re-start as Ben Foden came to life, shimmying past two defenders from a ruck 25m out. He got within a metre and the forwards pounded away until Tonga'uiha got over. Myler converted to make it a far more comfortable 15-8 for Saints.
But Saints still weren't firing on all cylinders. Paul Shields was having a nightmare with the lineout and losing another one saw Toulon get into Saints' 22. Cesar Delarue got within 8m off the lineout, but Saints survived only for the referee to give away a penalty at the scrum, but Vidal knocked an easy chance wide.
Then James Downey found no support looking for an offload and was done for holding on to give Vidal another crack from 40m which he converted to make it 17-8 after 53 minutes.
A tap penalty from Foden saw him charge to within inches of the line and this time Marc Andreu was sin-binned for killing the ball.
Once again the Saints scrum powered over from 5m to give Easter his second try. Myler converted to make it 22-11 after 57 minutes with another 10 minutes against 14 men.
Great play from Igancio Fernadez Lobbe at the re-start saw Tonga'uiha bulldoze forward and offload to Ashton who straightened the last defender before sprinting into the corner from 20m. Myler converted from the touchline to make it 31-11 to Saints with the bonus point now secure.
England's Dylan Hartley came on after 65 minutes and immediately was involved in scuffle at a scrum. The raft of replacements also saw Foden moved to full-back with Alan Dickens coming on a scrum-half.
With 10 minutes to go Myler chipped over the Toulon line on halfway and it bounced perfectly for him to skip past the full-back and touch down under the posts. He converted to make it 38-11.
Two minutes later Foden took a high ball brilliantly just outside his 22 and jinked his way to the opposition 22 to offload to Ashton for his second try. Everitt converted to put Saints 45-11 in front.
Saints were now in champagne, offload mode and Tonga'uiha burrowed over for his second to bring up 50 points, which Barry Everitt converted.
Att: 12,059
teams:
Northampton Saints - Reihana (capt, Dickens, 65mins); Ashton, Clarke (Mayor, 65mins), Downey, Lamont; Myler (Everitt, 71mins), Foden; Tonga'uiha, Shields (Hartley, 65mins), Murray (Smith, 59mins), Fernandez Lobbe (Rae, 59mins), Kruger, Lawes, Gray (Hopley, 71mins), Easter.
Replacements - Hartley, Smith, Rae, Hopley, Dickens, Everitt, Mayor.
Toulon - Rooney; Andreu, Pisi, Kefu (capt), Imbert (Ai'I, 40mins); Vidal, Henjak (Giacobazzi, 55mins); Basteres (Agnesi, 60mins), Liebenberg (Ribes, 63mins), Galasso, Lozada, Delarue (Toevalu, 66mins), Missoup, Sourice, Koyamibole (Auelua, 11mins).
Replacements - Ribes, Agnesi, Toevalu, Auelua, Ai'i, Giacobazzi.
Referee:
Tim Hayes (WRU)
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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