Top 14 rugby: Armitage brothers bring Toulon into second place with win over Pau

Delon Armitage and Steffon Armitage led Top 14 contenders Toulon into second place on Saturday with a bonus-point 25-9 win over Pau.

Delon Armitage scores a try for Toulon during their Top 14 victory over Pau on Saturday. Nicolas Peschier / AFP / April 16, 2016

The Armitage brothers scored three tries between them as Toulon sealed a 25-9 bonus-point victory at Pau to give their hopes of regaining the Top 14 title a boost on Saturday.

In a tight first half two Eric Escande penalties pulled 2014 champions Toulon into an early lead, but the hosts hit back with a successful kick from Colin Slade, and six points from the boot of Damien Traille gave Pau a three-point half-time advantage.

Delon Armitage crossed shortly after the interval though with Escande adding the extras, and the English full-back burst through a gap to put the visitors out in front.

Bernard Laporte’s men sealed an extra point when Steffon Armitage drove over, with Jonathan Pelissie completing the simplest of conversions.

Toulon were back in domestic action for the first time in a fortnight since suffering just a second home league defeat of the season in a thriller with league leaders Clermont.

The three-try win moves Toulon, who surrendered the Top 14 title last season to now-struggling Stade Francais, up into second place in the table, just three points behind Clermont, who play Agen later on Saturday.

“In the first half it was not logical to be losing, we were just not disciplined enough,” Toulon coach Laporte said.

“Fortunately, we were much more efficient then to take a bonus. That is important, every point will count in the final straight. It was a must-win here to be in the top four at the end of the season.”

Their bid for a fourth successive European Cup came to an end last Sunday with defeat to Racing 92, but they started strongly against Pau at the Stade du Hameau and were rewarded for some early pressure by Escande’s early kicks.

The vulnerabilities that have been on show in recent weeks resurfaced again though and Pau regained a foothold in the game through New Zealand international Slade.

Traille’s double of penalties put the defending champions under pressure, but Delon Armitage eased any away nerves by scoring the first try of the game.

After scrum-half Escande saw his score ruled out by the television official for a forward pass, 32-year-old Delon Armitage effectively ended the game as a contest with his eighth try of the season.

Toulon continued to go in search of a bonus point, and it arrived in the 82nd minute when a turnover led to a five-metre scrum, which flanker Steffon Armitage took full advantage of by burrowing over.

Castres moved into the final play-off spot on Friday by winning a gripping match at Grenoble 33-28, leaving their opponents six points adrift of the top six.

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