- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Veteran Jonny Wilkinson was in imperious form as he kicked 26 points and set up two tries to help Toulon consolidate their lead in French rugby’s top flight competition with a 46-13 victory over Perpignan on Sunday.
The star-studded Toulon side, which includes Australian centre Matt Giteau, are seven points clear of Clermont in the Top 14 title race.
Former England five-eighth Wilkinson was on target with six penalties, five in the first half, and four conversions for a 100 per cent kicking ratio as Toulon turned on the power after the break with four tries.
Wilkinson showed the full array of his passing skills with two monster cut-out passes to set up Samoa-born winger David Smith for a brace of tries.
“We worked hard tonight,” said Wilkinson. “In each match, from the start of the season, we’ve given everything we’ve got.
“This win is a good way to finish the year but we await the next match and we’ll have to win that one as well.”
It was Perpignan who had taken the early lead, winger Joffroy Michel pouncing on a chip kick from Wales international James Hook that evaded Rudi Wulf.
Wilkinson pulled back a penalty, with counterpart Hook missing two in the meantime.
The Englishman then knocked over a second, David Mele responding for Perpignan in place of Hook, who went off injured to send a further wave of panic through depleted Welsh ranks ahead of the Six Nations.
Top French referee Romain Poite was then forced to threaten to call the game off if lasers pointed at him and Perpignan players from the crowd continued.
From then on in, Wilkinson bossed his side home, Smith taking his season tally to six tries when he crossed in the corner after a looping Wilkinson pass out wide.
And the winger went over for his second of the game after another trademark long Wilkinson pass — measured at 29 metres — following good work from Maxime Mermoz and Giteau.
Replacement flanker Pierrick Gunther muscled his way over late in the game for a brace of tries of his own, the latter of which handed the home side a crucial bonus point.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.