Lyon beat 30-12 Toulon to clinch first European Challenge Cup

Lyon win Challenge Cup final
Lyon had lost both their Top 14 meetings with Toulon this season
Lyon (10) 30
Tries: Couilloud, Barassi, Penalty Cons: Berdeu (2) Pens: Berdeu (2), Ngatai
Toulon (7) 12
Tries: Serin, Kolbe Con: Carbonel

Lyon won the first European title in their history as they overpowered French counterparts Toulon 30-12 in the Challenge Cup final in Marseille.

Baptiste Couilloud scored Lyon's only first-half try, although teenage wing Davit Niniashvili stepped into touch to squander another great opportunity.

Lyon turned the screw with a penalty try and Pierre-Louis Barassi's score in quick succession after the restart.

Cheslin Kolbe's 74th-minute try was too late to swing momentum Toulon's way.

Former England under-20 second row Joel Kpoku, who joined Lyon in November from Saracens, backed up his man-of-the-match performance in the semi-final win over Wasps with another excellent performance.

England head coach Eddie Jones and assistants Richard Cockerill and Matt Proudfoot were among a 51,431-strong crowd - a record for the second-tier European competition - to watch the 22-year-old.

Kpoku said winning the final meant a lot, telling BT Sport: "It took courage for me to come out here and for Lyon to play me in a big game like this.

"For the time being, I am concentrating on my time with Lyon and playing for my club, whatever comes out from there, we will see what happens. I have signed for the next three years here."

Source: BBC Rugby Union News

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By adamreeves / Administrator, bbp_keymaster on May 27, 2022