Northampton crashed out of the Heineken Cup as Toulouse completed their
expected procession into the semi-finals with a routine victory at Le Stadium.
Saints' bid to book a last four appointment against Leinster or Leicester, who
meet at Lansdowne Road tomorrow, was widely touted as mission impossible and the
tag was fully justified.
Head coach Budge Pountney could have few complaints as the 2000 tournament
champions were outclassed in every department except goalkicking where Shane
Drahm's three penalties from three attempts prevented a whitewash.
It was just as well the Australian fly-half had remembered his kicking boots
because Saints never looked like scoring a try all night, with Toulouse's
defensive solidity matching their attacking endeavour.
Man of the match Frederic Michalak, Cedric Heymans, Vincent Clerc and
Christian Labit ran in tries as the twice Heineken Cup winners' enterprising
play frequently brought the capacity 36,000 crowd to their feet.
Had they been more precise - their handling was occasionally sloppy - Saints
would have been on the receiving end of an even bigger defeat and Guy Noves' men
were evidently coasting at times.
Saints had been strengthened by the return of Ben Cohen following his month
out with a fractured cheekbone while front rows Steve Thompson and Tom Smith
started after featuring on the bench against Harlequins last Saturday.
Toulouse were missing a clutch of stars including Gareth Thomas, Benoit Baby
and Isotola Maka but still named a side containing 10 French internationals -
including Test centurion and skipper Fabien Pelous.
Another France regular, Yannick Jauzion, was also in the team and he helped
create Toulouse's first opening with just four minutes on the clock by releasing
Clement Poitrenaud into space.
The full-back ran out of room but Jean-Baptiste Elissalde was in support to
carry on the move only for his final pass - meant for winger Clerc - to sail
harmlessly into touch.
Despite being exposed so early, Saints were not overly troubled and even edged
the opening 10 minutes, so it came as a bitter blow when Toulouse ran in the
first try with a fine piece of opportunism.
The visitors had built a strong field position but as they probed down the
left a loose pass from Tom Smith was intercepted by Michalak who made light work
of the 65-yard race to the line.
Elissalde converted and the French outfit, scenting blood, piled on the
pressure with a towering crossfield bomb from Michalak being gobbled up by John
Rudd behind his own line, with Heymans waiting to pounce on any mistake.
Drahm slotted a penalty but Saints were soon back under the cosh with Michalak
pulling the strings beautifully at fly-half - his rapid distribution helped
set-up Toulouse's second try.
Heymans made the initial break and when openside Finau Maka carried on the
move, Toulouse's attacking machine had clicked into gear with the ball being
sprayed towards the right touchline with lethal intent.
It was recycled and shipped back to Heymans via Michalak and Poitrenaud and
the left winger skipper around centre Mark Stcherbina to complete the move.
Elissalde converted.
Drahm landed a penalty to slash the deficit to 14-6 but a disappointing couple
of minutes from Cohen, which saw him concede a turnover to set up one Toulouse
raid and give away a penalty, meant Saints could not wrestle free of their
opponents' grip.
Luckily, Elissalde was having an off day with the boot as he pushed another
shot at goal wide of the uprights and this, combined with several dropped
passes, meant Toulouse's half-time lead was not as healthy as it could have
been.
Michalak improved the situation moments after the restart by dabbing over a
drop-goal and then, having taken over the kicking duties from misfiring
Elissalde, he booted a penalty for good measure.
Saints replied with a Drahm penalty but when substitute Mark Soden was
sin-binned in the 49th minute for pulling down a ruck, their hopes of eating
into Toulouse's lead were dealt a hammer blow.
The home side, semi-finalists in last season's French championship, did not
need a second invitation to exploit the advantage with Michalak and Poitrenaud
linking up once again to send Clerc over in the right corner.
A kind deflection off the left upright saw Elissalde kick the extras while
Michalak added his second penalty.
Substitute Labit then crashed over after a quickly taken line-out in the 69th
minute to leave Saints dead and buried, with Elissalde rubbing salt into the
wound by adding the extras.
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