Toulon escape last-minute Treviso humiliation

French fly-half Francois Trinh-Duc kicked a last-minute penalty as three-time champions Toulon escaped a European Cup humiliation on Saturday by edging out battling Italian minnows Treviso 30-29.

Treviso thought they had claimed a famous victory when Irish fly-half Ian McKinley, wearing trademark goggles to protect a devastating eye injury he suffered as a student seven years ago, had knocked over his fifth penalty of the day in the 79th minute.

But Toulon, who had struggled to a 21-20 win against Scarlets in their tournament opener last weekend, powered forward on one last surge which saw a tiring Treviso penalised at a ruck.

Trinh-Duc kept cool to kick the winning points for a personal match tally of 20 points.

However, the French giants' failure to secure a bonus point could prove fatal in a tournament where just the six group winners are assured of quarter-final spots.

Treviso had lost their opening game 23-0 at Bath last week but matched their superstar visitors throughout the game scoring two firs t-half tries from Juan Ignacio Brex and Edoardo Gori for a 14-13 advantage at the break.

Semi Radradra crossed for Toulon in the opening period with fellow Fijian winger Josua Tusiova adding a second try for the French visitors early in the second period.

Bath lead Pool 5 after seeing off Scarlets 18-13 in Wales on Friday night.

While Trinh-Duc starred in Italy, his fellow French international fly-half Camille Lopez was stretchered off with a suspected broken leg in Clermont's 24-7 win over Northampton in Pool 2.

"It doesn’t look good, they're talking about a fracture," Clermont's sports director Franck Azema told BeIn Sports.

The 28-year-old Lopez was writhing in agony after a clash with Northampton's Nick Groom in the 23rd minute.

Lopez is France's first choice fly-half and had been expected to star in the November internationals against world champions New Zealand on November 11 and 14, South Africa on November 18 and Japan seven days later.

Three-time European champions Leinster enjoyed a 34-18 win at Glasgow, their second successive bonus point win in Pool 3.

Cian Healy scored two of Leinster's four tries as Glasgow slumped to a second loss after their 24-15 defeat to Exeter last week.

Later Saturday, defending two-time champions Saracens will bid to build on their impressive opening statement of intent with victory over the stuttering Ospreys.

Saracens, with England international Owen Farrell to the fore, opened this season's account by smashing Premiership rivals Northampton 57-13.

Source: AFP