Seven-try Toulouse too swift for Cardiff

BLAIR Kinghorn marked his Toulouse debut with a brace of tries as the starstuffed French outfit got their Champions Cup campaign off to a flying start. 

- SIMON THOMAS

The hosts crossed for seven tries in all at a packed Stade Ernest Wallon with fly-half Thomas Ramos orchestrating affairs superbly in the persistent rain.

Cardiff coach Matt Sherratt said: “They tried their hardest right until the end. The difference was every time Toulouse got an entry into our 22, they took it. We didn’t quite have the same amount of firepower as they did in that area.”

The visitors’ solitary try came from young No.8 Mackenzie Martin who earned particular praise from Sherratt.

“I thought he was outstanding. It was just his third game and he was up against some of the best players on the planet in one of the toughest environments and he didn’t look out of place.”