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Wed 21 Jan 2015 | 12:33
Mamuka Gorgodze finishes off outstanding Toulon team try in Ulster thrashing

22
Comments

Steffon Armitage scored a hat-trick as Toulon stormed into the European Champions Cup quarter finals with a 60-22 victory over Ulster at the weekend. This great team try, finished off by Mamuka Gorgodze, was one of the best of the round. 

The reigning European champions are the first side to reach the quarter finals following the eight try rout. The bonus point win came about through scores for Argentina's Nicolas Sanchez, South Africa's Bryan Habana, France's Mathieu Bastareaud, Italy's Martin Castrogiovanni, Englishman Armitage's treble and this classic try by Georgian, Gorgodze.

Welsh fullback Leigh Halfpenny kicked 20 points for Toulon, on a day when the losing side actually grabbed a four-try bonus point, as Ulster scored well taken tries via Paddy Jackson, Mike McComish, Jared Payne and Lewis Stevenson.

Toulon now has a five point Pool 3 lead over Leicester, who themselves picked up a bonus point win as they beat Scarlets 40-23. The Tigers will need to win away at Ulster in the next round of play if they are to join Toulon in the last eight. 

The tryfest featured an impressive hat-trick for flanker Armitage, whose heroics made no impact on England coach Stuart Lancaster, who left him out of the England training squad for the Six Nations.

The stunning try below, featuring some superb hands in the build up, was voted as Try of the Week in the official EPC Poll of the top tries from round five.

Posted By: Grant Constable

22 Comments

  • larry
    11:37 AM 24/01/2015

    No, you aren't the only one. I saw it too. I ref, and I'd have at least caught the obstruction. I blew one up the previous weekend in a women's match. It was very similar. Regarding the forward pass, I'll have to see the play again to see if the ref was out of position, but then what are touch judges, excuse me, must use the new proper term, assistant referees for, other than just marking where the ball goes into touch?

  • larry
    11:35 AM 24/01/2015

    Obstruction should have been called on that dummy pass, as the dummy runner obstructed a defensive player. And the forward pass was somehow missed by the ref if guess. Maybe the refs have been told to let certain things to, as blowing the whistle might mean a slower game, less action, and people at home might turn to another channel to watch something else. It's about the money, you know. So, maybe the laws need to be amended, or the refs need to start blowing up offenses.

  • larry
    11:31 AM 24/01/2015

    Looked like a forward pass and obstruction could have been called. But jeez, just put aside the rules so that the crowd can be pleased, in the seats and at home on the TV. It's all about the money nowadays.

  • larry
    11:28 AM 24/01/2015

    That was obstruction. The dummy runner took out a defensive player. I guess refs just let that kind of play go on now and don't bother to blow the whistle.

  • larry
    11:28 AM 24/01/2015

    That was obstruction. The dummy runner took out a defensive player. I guess refs just let that kind of play go on now and don't bother to blow the whistle.

  • drg
    6:15 PM 23/01/2015

    Actually a very good point.

  • flanker2712
    1:02 PM 23/01/2015

    On the forward pass, I agree. The ball travels forwards and the "backward out of the hands"/Newton's first law of motion argument doesn't apply as Castro is going sideways.

    On the runner taking out the defender, also arguable as he seems to stick his left arm out to grab the Ulster player. But the ref says "He was straight. You took the dummy", so you weren't the only one to see it!

  • mozz87
    10:58 PM 22/01/2015

    I guess with Armitage there's the fear that selecting him contrary to the usual policy of not picking foreign based players might lead to a bit of an exodus like we've seen with welsh players lately. It may or may not be the case that it would actually happen but I think it's possible the management feel the threat of not being selected for England is what keeps a lot of the best players IN England...?

  • 10stonenumber10
    10:02 PM 22/01/2015

    Castro played Basketball until he had an 'altercation' with an official, and was told he would never play again. 2 decades down the line, rugby fans everywhere are glad he picked up a pie and a roll of electrical tape instead of another pair of Jordans.

  • stroudos
    3:53 PM 22/01/2015

    @Eddie-g, Absolutely right mate. SL and his selectors are just cutting off their collective nose to spite their face.

  • reality
    2:54 PM 22/01/2015

    Excellent rugby from all involved, but am I the only one who noticed the blatant forward pass from Castrogiovanni that started the move and the dummy runner taking out a defender?

  • eddie-g
    2:22 PM 22/01/2015

    I probably wasn't clear enough in my second point. The RFU policy of not selecting for England players who play overseas is in large part to protect English club rugby. Without this policy, it's fair to assume that most international quality England players would play for French clubs.

    The difference with Steffon Armitage is that he was not an obviously international quality player when he signed for Toulon. His career was in limbo, the England selectors weren't interested in him, he perhaps needed a complete change of scene.

    So if the RFU were to break policy and select him, they'd not really be at odds with the essential purpose of the policy. He turned his career around at Toulon, he is not the type of player that the RFU had in mind in preventing an exodus of players from the Premiership.

  • eddie-g
    2:06 PM 22/01/2015

    If what you read was accurate, that adds another layer of intrigue. The start of the summer tour often overlaps with the end of the Top-14 competition.

    Who knows exactly what's been discussed at the RFU, but if they were serious about bringing Armitage in, the 6N would be the time to do it.

  • drg
    1:47 PM 22/01/2015

    To be fair though, I've heard about lots of teams 'self banning' players for certain things, even if it means they put themselves in a tough position, purely because they have their policies...

    ...I admire putting the ethos ahead of the game, however you have to go with what works...and frankly, Armitage comes across as a clean player/decent guy and someone who won't be a detriment to the team - unlike his brother (if they were so desperate to want to select him)

  • drg
    1:44 PM 22/01/2015

    Probably leave France and go play for some weasel like Cockerill....

  • flanker2712
    12:42 PM 22/01/2015

    For summer tour, read WC warm-up matches.

  • flanker2712
    12:39 PM 22/01/2015

    I read somewhere recently that Lancaster was going to use the "exceptional circumstances" card to select Armitage, but only after the 6 Nations (i.e. summer tour?). If true (and I can't remember where I read it), it strikes me as absurd.

    As an Irishman, I can only hope that it is not true and that the policy of England not selecting overseas players is strictly adhered to!

  • danknapp
    7:13 AM 22/01/2015

    Every time I watch this video it gets better... Castro made that try for me.

  • eddie-g
    7:27 PM 21/01/2015

    Perhaps the best player at the strongest club in Europe - voted best player in the Top 14 last season - who plays in a position for which England has no natural alternative... I dunno, I understand the reluctance to break policy, but it doesn't half look like England are hurting themselves.

    And I do also think it's relevant that when Armitage moved to Toulon, he was out of favour with England. It's not like he was a superstar who swanned off to France for the megabucks. He's become the player he is by playing for Toulon, and if I were at the RFU, I'd be strongly arguing for him to be selected.

  • mozz87
    5:33 PM 21/01/2015

    The hands from Castro. Gorgeous (Gorgodgeous?)

  • stroudos
    5:16 PM 21/01/2015

    Check out Castro in there, throwing dummies, linking up, putting players in space with soft hands. Love it.

    I don't really see what else Steffon Armitage can do to merit "special circumstances"...

  • danknapp
    3:00 PM 21/01/2015

    Champagne Rugby! Bloody good try!

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