Top 14: Toulouse suffer fifth straight loss as Bayonne win
Last Updated: 27/09/14 3:34pm
Corey Flynn was sent off as Bayonne’s 35-19 home success condemned Toulouse to a fifth straight defeat in the Top 14.
The four-time European champions a flying start but had to play 70 minutes with 14 men as Flynn was red carded on 20 minutes for a stamp, with Yoann Maestri having already been sin-binned.
Once Bayonne gained the upper hand the capitalised fully on the one-man advantage to run in tries through Joe Rokocoko, Anthony Etrillard and Charles Ollivon before a penalty try in the second half.
Toulouse had come flying out of the blocks and scored a try after just two minutes, Alexis Palisson slipping over from close range and Luke McAlister converting.
A McAlister penalty made it 10-0 but the tide turned when Maestri shoved Dewald Senekal and a Blair Stewart penalty and unconverted try from Rokocoko reduced the arrears.
Soon after Maestri came back on, Flynn was sent off for an apparent stamp on the ankle of a Bayonne player.
Bayonne took the lead when Etrillard went over for a converted score in the corner, with Toulouse responding with a penalty from McAlister to make it 15-13.
But Bayonne scored their third try through Ollivon and Stewart slotted over the penalty and another conversion to make it 25-13 at half-time.
McAlister hit two penalties to Stewart’s one after half-time to make it 28-19 but Bayonne had the last laugh when a crumbling scrum handed the hosts a bonus-point penalty try 10 minutes from time.
