Toulouse beat the Sharks in an error-ridden Investec Champions Cup match at Kings Park on Saturday.
The six-time champions played well below their standard in hot and humid Durban conditions that led to plenty of handling errors from both sides, but were still too strong in a 20-8 victory against a Sharks team missing several key Springboks.
It was Toulouse’s third straight win in Pool 1, with a home fixture against Leicester to come, while the Sharks’ second defeat means they may need to get something from their final pool match in Bordeaux next Sunday to qualify for the round of 16.
Saturday’s match was billed as one of the Sharks’ biggest of the season, but it failed to live up to the hype.
The hosts didn’t help themselves early on, turning down a gimmie three points only for flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse to kick the penalty dead instead of into touch.
Soon after, Toulouse No 10 Romain Ntamack’s 50/22 set up a lineout maul for the visitors and lock Emmanuel Meafou went over from close range a few phases later.
Jordan Hendrikse got the hosts on the board with a penalty goal, but two from fullback Thomas Ramos gave Toulouse a 13-3 lead at the break.
It was a frustrating half for the six-time champions, though, who failed to capitalise on five clean breaks, while making 10 handing errors and losing a couple of lineouts.
Ntamack was stopped just short of the tryline by Jaden Hendrikse after attempting a sidestep when he should have gone for corner, before left wing Matthis Lebel put a foot in touch after collecting a kick-pass and dotting down.
France scrumhalf Antoine Dupont, making just his second appearance in the southern hemisphere, had a quiet first half until breaking away from a Sharks lineout with the clock in the red. It led to a Ramos three-pointer.
Sharks coach John Plumtree rejigged his backline at the break, moving Jaden Hendrikse to 10, Jordan Hendrikse to 15 and bringing on Bradley Davids (for starting fullback Hakeem Kunene) at scrumhalf.
They were given no time to settle, though, as Toulouse took their first scoring opportunity of the second half with Ramos’ no-look offload putting winger Blair Kinghorn over in the left corner.
Essai sublime en Afrique du Sud!@lebel_matthis travaille les défenseur et @ThomRamos15 offre un bijou à @Blair_Kinghorn! pic.twitter.com/M0L6Tt0v8N
— Investec Champions Cup France (@ChampionsCup_FR) January 11, 2025
Another backline substitute, centre Jurenzo Julius, gave the Sharks hope when he rounded off a long-range attack with 14 minutes remaining.
This is some finish by ‘The Boogie Man’ 🦈🔥
📺 Stream #InvestecChampionsCup on DStv: https://t.co/0P0NNhnwKw pic.twitter.com/mPyABQHQow
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) January 11, 2025
But Toulouse were comfortably able to see out the game and book their place in the round of 16.
