Glasgow Warriors can take the benefits despite narrow defeat in Toulon

Even in defeat, Glasgow Warriors managed to enhance both their credentials and their Champions Cup prospects in Toulon.

Trips to Stade Mayol are not for the faint-hearted and, although the three-time European champions made the most of home advantage as they chiselled out a one-point 30-29 victory, Franco Smith’s side more than coped with the hostilities and the physical prowess of their Top 14 opponents throughout a draining 80 minutes.

Their tangible reward came in the form of two bonus points - earned late in the contest when Johnny Matthews burrowed over the line for a fourth Glasgow try converted by George Horne - but there were ancillary benefits to be gleaned, too, as a callow starting line-up learned a very valuable lessons in how to compete at an inhospitable venue.

None stood up to be counted more than Jare Oguntibeju, the South-African born, Edinburgh-raised second-rower of Nigerian heritage making just his third appearance for the club. A late convert to rugby and having endured a wretched time of it with injuries, the Scotland A cap burnished a mature performance by landing his first ever try for Warriors, their third in a match that swung from end to end.

The Glasgow Warriors players huddle after the defeat in Toulon. | AFP via Getty Images

Glasgow’s regrets will centre on not making better use of the two-man 10-minute advantage given to them when an ill-disciplined Toulon side had first Baptiste Serin and then Lewis Ludlam sent to the sin-bin in quick succession.

Warriors were awarded a penalty try for Ludlam’s transgressions in trying to illegally halt the maul but could only add a further five points against the 13 men when Josh McKay took a pass from Henco Venter and zipped down the line to score. Jeered mercilessly by the partisan crowd, Duncan Weir missed the subsequent conversion attempt, two points that could have made all the difference by the end.

Even when shorn of two men, Toulon were still able to land a brace of penalties from Marius Domon who, late in the match, would become their third player shown a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on.

The home side were more clinical when presented with a numerical advantage of their own at the start of the second half when Glasgow’s Sam Talakai was also sent to the bin for disrupting the Toulon maul.

Leicester Fainga'anuku took the chance to score his second try, the All Blacks centre having opened the scoring in the match when he rumbled over the line in the seventh minute.

A Weir penalty following Fainga'anuku’s second try made it a five-point game as Warriors remained in contention and their bomb squad was summoned from the bench, hoping to make a late impact.

Toulon prevailed 30-29. | AFP via Getty Images

Instead it was Toulon who landed the next try, the former Warrior Brian Alainu'uese simply going straight over Jack Mann’s attempt to tackle him to reach the line.

Oguntibeju’s touchdown, after he gamely held off a clutch of would-be tacklers, again gave Glasgow fresh hope. A Serin penalty took victory out of their grasp with just minutes remaining but they refused to throw in the towel and again got their rewards for their perseverance.

The forwards battered away on the Toulon line for a while before Matthews seized the chance to duck over at the second time of asking to land two bonus points. It was the least Glasgow deserved.