Toulon’s Australian quartet helped hold off a gutsy Lyon side in the Top 14 on the weekend, in a crucial victory for the Top 14 powerhouse.
Matt Giteau played out the full match at flyhalf, running off an ankle concern late in the game, while Drew Mitchell was at fullback for the full 80 minutes.
James O’Connor was injected into the game late, replacing Josua Tuisova in the 64th minute, with Liam Gill coming off at the same time.
O’Connor wasn’t named in Toulon’s squad earlier in the week but recovered from an ankle injury to take part.
Mike Harris steered Lyon at 10, kicking seven points, as former Red Curtis Browning played blindside flanker.
The result keeps Toulon in the top six, with eight rounds to go.
Montpellier heaped the pain on Toulouse, cementing itself in third spot with a 27-18 win.
Jesse Mogg played the entire match at fullback, with fellow ex-Brumbies back Nic White replaced in the 65th minute.
Aussie flyhalf Brock James slotted 22 points off his boot as La Rochelle notched a 37-18 victory over Will Genia’s Stade Francais.
The win wasn’t enough to keep them on top of the league, though, with Clermont knocking them off on points difference.
Clermont had a 46-27 win over bottom-placed Bayonne, with Sitaleki Timani playing 55 minutes in the second row.
Pau put themselves in the top six with a win over Grenoble, on what was a tough night for Grenoble flanker Peter Kimlin.
The former Brumbies and Waratahs forward was yellow-carded in the 36th minute for deliberately stopping an opponent, before returning to play until the 76th minute.
A Luke Jones try couldn’t help Bordeaux to its first win in six games, with the men in maroon going down to Castres, 29-17.
Adam Ashley-Cooper was on the Bordeaux wing for the whole 80 minutes, as his side slipped to ninth, seven points out of finals contention.
In the other Top 14 clash, Racing 92 put Dan Carter’s drink driving charge behind them in a 33-25 win over Brive.
PREMIERSHIP
69 mins: TRY WASPS! DONT CALL IT A COMEBACK! Brilliant handling. Beale and Le Roux combine on the left and Beale scores. 34-28
— Wasps (@WaspsRugby) February 19, 2017
Kurtley Beale continued his super run of form in the UK with a 68th-minute try for competition leaders Wasps against Sale but it wasn’t enough to steal a win, in a shock 34-28 upset.
Beale played at fullback for his new team, who still sit on top of the ladder despite the loss.
Dave Dennis played 68 minutes for Exeter at blindside flanker, while Lachie Turner played the final 12 at fullback, as they clinched a 48-32 win over Worcester.
