Scotland star makes timely return in Top 14 victory as Stuart Hogg plays out of position

Ben White, the Scotland scrum-half, returned to the Toulon side for the first time in three weeks as they beat Stuart Hogg’s Montpellier in the Top 14 at the weekend.

White started the match at Stade Mayol as the home side won 30-17 to move into a tie for fourth place in the standings.

It was only the 26-year-old’s third appearance of the season and he made way early in the second half for France international scrum-half Baptiste Serin who had a big influence on the result, scoring one of his side’s four tries.

Toulon's Scotland scrum-half Ben White on the attack during the win over Montpellier at Stade Mayol. | AFP via Getty Images

White will be hoping he has done enough to be included in the Scotland squad for the autumn internationals which will be named on Wednesday by head coach Gregor Townsend. The former Leicester and London Irish half-back did not go on the summer tour to North and South America and last played for Scotland in the Six Nations last season when he started four of the team’s five matches.

The Toulon players dedicated this victory to their coach Pierre Mignoni who has been suspended for six weeks following an outburst at Clermont earlier this month.

Montpellier's Stuart Hogg is tackled by Toulon's centre Antoine Frisch. | AFP via Getty Images

Hogg, the former Scotland full-back, started at stand-off for Montpellier and kicked a conversion for the visitors who lie third bottom in the Top 14 after seven matches. Hogg has played at 10 before, notably for Scotland in the Six Nations win over Italy in 2021.

Toulouse returned to the top of the table thanks to a 22-14 win at Pau. Blair Kinghorn was back in the team, starting at full-back, and kicked two conversions and a penalty, but the highlight of the match was a brilliant no-look pass round the back from Antoine Dupont for Guillaume Cramont to score what turned out to be the decisive try.

The win, combined with Bordeaux-Begles’ defeat to La Rochelle on Sunday evening, meant Toulouse finished the weekend in top spot. Jonny Gray, the Scotland second-row forward, started for Bordeaux at Stade Marcel-Deflandre as Teddy Thomas and Brice Dulin each scored two tries for La Rochelle who are now third, one point behind Bordeaux and two behind Toulouse.