Edinburgh outclass troubled Toulon, Wasps and Bath play out thrilling draw

Toulon’s miserable start to the European Champions Cup continued as Edinburgh stormed to a 40-14 bonus-point Pool 5 victory, while Wasps and Bath played out a thrilling 10-try draw.

A week on from a surprise defeat to Newcastle Falcons, Top 14 heavyweights Toulon were outclassed at Murrayfield as director of rugby Richard Cockerill enjoyed a resounding win against his former employers.

Powerful Fijian flanker Viliame Mata impressed for the hosts, while Ben Toolis, Henry Pyrgos, Stuart McInally and Chris Dean all scored tries, and Jaco van der Walt added 18 points with the boot.

Edinburgh consequently rebounded from last week’s loss to Montpellier, who play Newcastle on Sunday, while Toulon have just a solitary point.

MASSIVE win for @EdinburghRugby 

The Scots beat @RCTofficiel in style at BT Murrayfield 

Man of the match? #ChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/Nn08jj1nYk

— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) October 20, 2018

Wasps, without Christian Wade in their squad amid reports he is to leave the club to try his hand in the NFL, produced a stirring second-half comeback to draw 35-35 against Bath.

It looked as though Bath would rebound from an opening-round loss to Toulouse – a match notable for Freddie Burns’ comical late clanger and some controversial officiating – when Joe Cokanasiga, Max Wright and Semesa Rokoduguni helped the visitors to a 21-7 half-time lead.

Wasps turned the match on its head when Joe Simpson, Zurab Zhvania and Ashley Johnson scored converted tries in a 10-minute salvo, only for scores from Charlie Ewels and Francois Louw to put Bath back in front.

A converted score from Thomas Young, son of Wasps boss Dai, pulled the hosts level 10 minutes from time, before Alex Davies missed a late penalty that would have won the game for Bath.

Racing 92, last season’s runners-up, impressed with a 44-12 rout of Ulster in Pool 4. Juan Imhoff, Teddy Thomas and Simon Zebo scored in the second half, after Teddy Iribaren and Wenceslas Lauret crossed in the opening 40 minutes.

Romping to glory in the second half @racing92 showed their class against @UlsterRugby 

Who shone the brightest? #ChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/DsRVAwFhTO

— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) October 20, 2018

Danny Cipriani was shown a red card for a high tackle on Rory Scannell as Gloucester went down 36-22 at Munster, who earned a bonus point, in a match that saw the hosts finish with 13 men after Sammy Arnold and Stephen Archer went into the sin-bin.

Top 14 champions Castres defeated Exeter Chiefs 29-25 in Pool 2’s other fixture despite Maama Vaipulu’s first-half red card, and in Pool 3 Maro Itoje, Sean Maitland, Brad Barritt and Alex Lewington scored in Saracens’ 29-10 beating of Lyon.

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