Toulon jeered despite Perpignan rugby win

European champions Toulon were jeered off the pitch despite extending their French Top 14 lead with a 15-9 win at home to Perpignan on Friday. England legend Jonny Wilkinson kicked all the home side's points while Tom Ecochard knocked over three penalties for the Catalans. But the result meant Perpignan picked up a losing bonus while Toulon came nowhere near reaping an attacking bonus and could lose top spot by the end of the weekend. At the start of play they had four pursuers within a point and all four could overtake them with a bonus point victory on Saturday. The game itself was a dire affair, not helped by the number of first choice players on international duty. Even so, with the likes of Wilkinson, Matt Giteau and Maxime Mermoz in the hosts' line-up, there was enough talent on the field to expect more from the European champions. And yet, even when Perpignan were reduced to 13 men during the first half after David Marty's rush of blood to the head earnt a yellow card, followed quickly by Nicolas Durarnd sin-binned for a cynical infringement, Toulon managed only to add one penalty to their score, sending them in 9-3 ahead at the break. Two more penalties gave them breathing space but despite a third yellow card for the Catalans, this time to Guillaume Vilaceca, it was they who scored next, before Ecochard added a bonus-point clinching third kick right at the death. Clermont will look to take over top spot when they host erratic Racing-Metro at the Marcel Michelin stadium on Saturday although free-scoring Toulouse will also expect to take maximum points against newly-promoted Oyonnax. Source: AFP