London Irish ... 32 Toulouse ... 29 London Irish, with only their pride to play for, became the first side to beat runaway Pool Five leaders Toulouse in the Heineken European Cup this season. Two tries from right wing Paul Sackey and one from prop Mike Worsley, plus 17 points from the boot of outhalf Barry Everitt, turned the European form book inside out.
Irish never relinquished their grip after taking the lead in the 15th minute. But the joy of victory was tinged with feelings of what might have been, and left Irish regretting squandering a 12-point lead in the closing 10 minutes at Edinburgh last weekend. If they had won then, they would now be heading to the quarter-finals.
Defeat for Toulouse meant that, instead of an all-French clash with Biarritz, they are contemplating a home quarter-final against Northampton.
Irish dominated the first half when only four penalties from scrumhalf Jean-Baptiste Elissalde kept Toulouse in touch. Denied a penalty try when left wing Kevin Barrett was blatantly tugged as he chased his own kick, Irish's early pressure paid off when Worsley crashed in from close range and Everitt converted before adding two first-half penalties.
Elissalde's fourth penalty three minutes into first-half injury time enabled the French side to cut the deficit to one point, but two minutes later Sackey's controversial try enabled Irish to go in 18-12 ahead at half time. The speedy winger made yards as he chased a superbly-weighted kick into the right corner from Nick Burrows.
Toulouse full back Nicolas Jean-Jean could only push the ball back as he flapped at it one-handed, and the touch judge ruled Sackey had touched down. Everitt's conversion attempt from the touchline rebound from the post, but, despite a late scoring flurry, Toulouse could never quite recover from the blow of conceding that try.
Two more penalties from Everitt, with one from Elissalde in between, saw Irish stretch their lead to 21-15, and there was no doubt about the try when Sackey struck again in the 64th minute.Taking a pass from Worsley, he raced to dive over in the right corner for the unconverted try.
Toulouse responded with two tries in the late stages. When Irish left a big gap following a scrum, outhalf Frederick Michalak strolled in to touch down and leave Elissalde an easy conversion.
Two minutes later Everitt landed a 74th-minute penalty, and that score proved crucial.
And with just two minutes of normal time remaining, a long pass from number eight Christian Labat created space for replacement Vincent Clerc, who cut in from the left flank to touchdown behind the post - Elissalde converted. Even though Everitt missed a last-ditch penalty, Irish had done enough to secure victory.
LONDON IRISH: Mapletoft; Sackey, Burrows, Venter, Barrett; Everitt, Martens; Worsley, Drotske, Hardwick, Delaney, Casey, Gustard, Dawson, Sheasby.
TOULOUSE: Jean-Jean; Ntamack, Desbrosse, Jauzion, Garbajosa; Michalak, Elissalde; Lecouls, Servat, Poux, Lamboley, Pelous, Brennan, F Maka, Labit.
Referee: Ian Ramage (Scotland).
