Toulouse prove party poopers

Bouilhou: First-half try for Toulouse

Connacht's first Heineken Cup match on home soil ended on a disappointing note with Toulouse running out 36-10 winners at the Sportsground.

Lionel Beauxis kicked 21 points for the French side as Connacht were well beaten by thoroughly professional opponents.

A record crowd of 9,120 turned up to watch Eric Elwood's men take on the four-time European champions, who fielded a star-studded line-up in this Pool 6 encounter.

The French giants managed to quieten the home support with an assured first half display, Beauxis proving accurate with the boot and Jean Bouilhou claiming a try.

Miah Nikora opened Connacht's account while Mike McCarthy was in the sin-bin for a high tackle, and the 22-3 half-time deficit grew as Toulouse remained in control.

A controversially awarded penalty try put the result beyond any doubt and although Connacht gained a penalty try themselves, Yannick Nyanga barged through for the visitors' third and final try.

Quality

Beauxis landed a sixth minute penalty, rewarding his forwards for a solid scrum hit, and returning winger Maxime Medard was called back for a forward pass as he charged over the halfway line.

Connacht hardly put a foot wrong in the opening quarter - their captain Gavin Duffy leading by example - but Toulouse's quality out wide and at set piece time was glaringly obvious.

Medard got another chance to stretch his legs before Beauxis kicked the visitors 9-0 ahead and worse followed for the Irish province in the 22nd minute.

Toulouse wheeled a Connacht scrum, Thierry Dusautoir put enough pressure on Paul O'Donohoe for the ball to break free and Louis Picamoles and Dusautoir both carried forward before Bouilhou squeezed over from inches out.

Sin-binned

And the hosts suffered another setback on the half hour mark when McCarthy caught the onrushing Vincent Clerc with a neck-high challenge and was promptly sin-binned.

Nikora slotted a penalty from in front of the posts to get Connacht off the mark, before Toulouse's dominant scrum yielded three more points for Beauxis.

Seven minutes into the second half, referee Greg Garner earned the ire of the home fans when he awarded Toulouse a penalty try after just one wheeled scrum.

The French side had the platform of a five-metre scrum and as it spun around the English official gave the verdict to the visitors, with Beauxis adding the extras.

The remainder of the game was played in worsening weather conditions. McSharry and Duffy showed huge commitment in attack and defence and a Duffy-sparked move almost saw replacement hooker Ethienne Reynecke crash over for a try.

McCarthy spilled the ball in contact with the try-line in sight and Toulouse closed out the tie on top, maintaining their grip on top spot in Pool 6.