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Mon 14 Oct 2013 | 06:14
Dion Berryman scores with incredible finish in the corner against Toulouse

14
Comments

Toulouse got their Heineken Cup campaign off to a solid start with a convincing 38-5 bonus point victory over Zebre at the Stade Ernest Wallon on Friday night. They scored six tries but the most memorable finish of the night went to Zebre's Dion Berryman.

The French giants put the game out of reach in the first half despite Berryman's stunning superman effort early in the second. Three tries in nine minutes got them underway as Zebre looked like they would continue to struggle in Europe, continuing with their poor form from the Pro12.

Yoann Huget finished a stunning effort for the home side after Maxime Medard and Clement Poitrenaud combined to put him away. It was a contender for try of the match, and perhaps the round, but Berryman then produced a piece of magic to get Zebre's only try of the night.

From turnover ball he stepped Medard then shot for the corner and somehow managed to float through the air long enough to get the ball down, while the rest of his body was up and out of play.

We've seen this type of thing in the NRL in Australia before, but this was without a doubt one of the tries of a thoroughly enjoyable opening Heineken Cup weekend.

Yannick Nyanga scored for Toulouse later in the game, but Zebre did well to restrict the hosts from really running away with things. You can view all the match highlights on page two of this post, which includes that great Huget try that is mentioned above.

Full highlights of Toulouse's 38-5 victory over Zebre in round 1 of the Heineken Cup

Posted By: Grant Constable

14 Comments

  • danknapp
    7:33 AM 15/10/2013

    League does seem to lead the way in that regard. I went to uni in Northern England, despite being a Southerner, and was blown away by the skills and professional attitude of the league guys at uni - just a different class. I've always held league in high regard since. Great game to watch.

  • lucius
    10:40 PM 14/10/2013

    No more

  • drg
    8:49 PM 14/10/2013

    Oh right, cheers, I remember the law variations coming in/being tested, I suppose that was just one of them that doesn't come about all too often - Unlike the "passing back into the 22" law etc..

  • reality
    6:10 PM 14/10/2013

    It was one of the famous experimental law variations from a few years back that became the standard in 2009.

  • 5:41 PM 14/10/2013

    Yip it's a recent rule. The pole doesn't matter at all anymore. Just the chalk.

  • facepalm
    5:39 PM 14/10/2013

    I don't know the exact date but it was changed a few years ago.

  • drg
    5:23 PM 14/10/2013

    I was surprised; as is someone else, at the flagpole not being part of touch :/ Is this a fairly recent change? I recall in the past that the pole was ruled as out?

    I seem to remember in the past in some scenarios commentators mentioning while we all awaited a TMO verdict that it was "the tackler" who hit the flagpole so the ball carrier was still "in-play" etc, but now it sounds like it matters not either way? Or is it due to the ball carrier being in the air at the time of contact with the pole?

  • el_greco
    5:06 PM 14/10/2013

    finishes like that are slightly more common in league, but i never tire of seeing them. great stuff

  • finedisregard
    4:03 PM 14/10/2013

    I wonder if he's related to Norm Berryman?

  • gungehammer
    2:24 PM 14/10/2013

    The reason he's not playing in NZ is that he wasn't good enough to get a Super Rugby contract. In fact he couldn't even make the Western Force.

    Looks like he can finish spectacularly though!

  • danknapp
    1:30 PM 14/10/2013

    Outstanding skill. That'll be one of the tries of the season, or I'll eat my beret.

  • 11:41 AM 14/10/2013

    God I wish there was enough money in NZ rugby to keep players like this at home. What an awesome finisher.

  • welshosprey
    11:15 AM 14/10/2013

    Now that was awesome

  • jeri
    9:23 AM 14/10/2013

    10/10!

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