The DHL Stormers slumped to yet another defeat, losing in their round 1 fixture of the 2024/25 Ivestec Champions Cup 14-24 to RC Toulon at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Gqeberha.
It was a dream start for the French side who led thanks to a Gabin Villière try in the fourth minute.
DHL Stormers were not about to be controlled on home turf though, and they soon struck back through a Warrick Gelant touchdown ten minutes later.
The Stormers had to wait until the closing stages of the first half to complete their comeback though when Joseph Dweba forced the ball home which was duly converted by Manie Libbok to give the home side a 14-10 lead at the break.
Despite trailing at the break, French giants RC Toulon made sure to turn things around in the second period and win 14-24.
It was a second-half which failed to get going for the most part but Toulon stepped up a gear in the final 20 minutes, touching down twice to complete the comeback against the South Africans.
It was an afternoon to remember for French scrum-half Baptiste Serin who, with his three conversions, one penalty and a try contributed to his side’s golden start to this year’s Investec Champions Cup.
A late red card for Yannick Youyoutte for a head-on-head challenge on Manie Libbok came too late to affect the result.
Scorers:
DHL Stormers: Tries: Warrick Gelant, Joseph Dweba.Conversions: Manie Libbok (2).
RC Toulon: Tries: Gabin Villiere, Facundo Isa, Baptiste Serin. Conversions: Baptiste Serin (3). Penalty: Baptiste Serin.
Teams:
DHL Stormers: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Jean-Luc du Plessis, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 Willie Engelbrecht, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Keke Morabe, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 JD Schickerling, 3 Neethling Fouche (c), 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Ali Vermaak. Replacements: 16 Andre-Hugo Venter, 17 Leon Lyons, 18 Sazi Sandi, 19 Adre Smith, 20 Marcel Theunissen, 21 Louw Nel, 22 Herschel Jantjies, 23 Seabelo Senatla.
Toulon RC: 15 Marius Domon, 14 Gaël Drean, 13 Jérémy Sinzelle, 12 Mathieu Smaili, 11 Gabin Villiere, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Baptiste Serin, 8 Facundo Isa, 7 Jules Coulon, 6 Lewis Ludlam, 5 David Ribbans (c), 4 Matthias Halagahu, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 2 Teddy Baubigny, 1 Dany Priso. Replacements: 16 Mickael Ivaldi, 17 Daniel Brennan, 18 Beka Gigashvili, 19 Brian Alainu’uese, 20 Yannick Youyoutte, 21 Enzo Herve, 22 Antoine Frisch, 23 Jiuta Wainiqolo.