Thomas Castaignede returned to haunt his former club Toulouse by inspiring
Saracens to a 32-22 victory in their opening Heineken Cup Pool Three game.
French international Castaignede scored 22 points for the English Premiership
leaders who recovered from a disaster start to record one of their most
significant victories in their history.
Toulouse stamped their authority on the game as early as the fourth minute
when Micheal Marfaing latched onto Yann Delaigue's kick to the left hand
corner.
Saracens found themselves in even more bother when Delaigue side-stepped his
way through the visitors in his own half and then dropped a kick on the Saracens
line. Duncan McRae was first to the ball but the Saracens' fly-half fumbled at a
crucial time and Marfaing gratefully accepted the opportunity.
A brace of penalties from Castaignede kept Saracens in front before a period
of sustained pressure turned the game in the London club's favour.
Kevin Sorrell made a break from his own half and fed Darragh O'Mahony inside
him, who was pulled down metres short of the Toulouse line.
Minutes later, however, O'Mahony had his glory when he squeezed over in the
right hand corner after Saracens spun the ball wide.
Saracens swiftly built on their lead in the second half when Castaignede
dropped a goal from 35 yards.
A burst of pace down the blind side from Castaignede then set Dan Luger up for
a tilt at the line. Saracens recycled and Scottish international lock forward
Scott Murray rumbled over.
Toulouse replied with a try of their own when their half backs worked the ball
wide in the Saracens 22 to full-back Xavier Garbajosa on the overlap.
But Toulouse were pegged back again by former employee Castaignede who dropped
a goal after Kyran Bracken had supplied from a ruck under the posts.
Toulouse:
Tries: Garbajosa, Marfaing 2.
Cons: Marfaing 2.
Pens: Marfaing.
Toulouse: Garbajosa, Ougier, Desbrosse, Stensness, Marfaing,
Delaigue, Cazalbou, Califano, Bru, Tournaire, Miorin, Gerard,
Bouilhou, Labit, Maka.
Not Used: Soulette, Servat, Belot, Lacroix, Fillol, Penaud.
Saracens:
Tries: O'Mahony, Murray.
Cons: Castaignede 2.
Pens: Castaignede 4.
Drop Goals: Castaignede 2.
Saracens: Castaignede, O'Mahony, Johnston, Sorrell, Luger,
McRae, Bracken, Flatman, Russell, Wallace, Murray, Grewcock,
Hill, Chesney, Diprose.
Not Used: Cairns, Arasa, Davison, Roques, Phillips, Walshe,Sparg.
Att: 10,500
Ref: Ashley Rowden (Berkshire (RFU)).
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