Much-changed Toulon suffer heavy Top 14 defeat ahead of Glasgow Warriors showdown as Finn Russell stars for Racing 92

A much-changed Toulon team suffered a damaging 43-7 Top14 defeat by Racing 92 ahead of Friday’s Challenge Cup final against Glasgow Warriors.
Toulon lost heavily to Racing 92 ahead of Friday's Challenge Cup final against Glasgow Warriors.Toulon lost heavily to Racing 92 ahead of Friday's Challenge Cup final against Glasgow Warriors.
Toulon lost heavily to Racing 92 ahead of Friday's Challenge Cup final against Glasgow Warriors.

Toulon head coach Franck Azema rested a number of players ahead of the match against Warriors in Dublin, although star names such as Charles Ollivon, Aymeric Luc and Ihaia West all played in a game switched to the Stade Oceanie in Le Havre due to a Bruce Spingsteen concert taking place at Racing 92’s usual home, La Défense Arena in Paris. The venue change did not throw Racing off their stride, however, as they ran in six tries in a one-sided encounter, with Scotland stand-off Finn Russell playing the whole match for them and kicking 11 points.

The result all but secures Racing’s place in the Top 14 play-offs and a place in the next season’s Heineken Champions Cup, but Toulon, who have slipped to eighth in the standings, will now have to beat Bordeaux-Begles at home in their final match to keep their domestic season alive.