As you’d expect, the reliable Thomas Ramos effortlessly raised the flags from almost 50m out and he did the same just before the break after captain Antoine Dupont ran the tourists out of trouble.
There were early warning signs when Dupont put hooker Peato Mauvaka through a gap and when he took the return pass he breezed past Makazole Mapimpi. The talisman’s Midas touch, however, deserted him when he tried to find Blair Kinghorn on the right wing.
But Toulouse were back. Flyhalf Romain Ntamack’s raking 50/22 presented the visitors a position of promise and as is their won’t the visitors powered ahead from the resultant maul. They rumbled forward and man mountain lock Emmanuel Meafou inevitably crashed over.
While the Sharks did well to try and nullify Toulouse’s power, they did not do themselves any favours when opportunity beckoned.
Legs numbed, chests burnt as the match wore on. Still, the Sharks looked devoid of answers — but young centre Jurenzo Julius provided them some much-needed thrust.
Earlier in the day, the Stormers continued their encouraging home form when they powered past Sale Sharks 40-0 in Cape Town.
Scorers:
Sharks (3) 8 – Try: Jurenzo Julius Penalty: Jordan Hendrikse
Toulouse (13) 20 – Tries: Emmanuel Meafou, Blair Kinghorn Conversions: Thomas Ramos (2) Penalties: Ramos (2)