Toulon held on despite a late red card to win 24-14 at the Stormers in their opening Pool 3 match in the rugby Champions Cup.
Earlier in Durban, South Africa captain Siya Kolisi scored two of his side’s five tries as Durban-based franchise Sharks comfortably beat English side Exeter 39-21 in Pool 1.
While conditions in South Africa were warm and sunny, the wind and rain in the English Midlands shaped the game as Northampton thrashed visiting Castres 38-8 in Pool 3.
In Pool 2, French side Clermont cruised past Treviso 28-0.
At Nelson Mandela Stadium, Toulon jumped into a fourth-minute lead with a try by Gabin Villiere but Warrick Gelant and Joseph Dweba replied and the hosts led 14-10 at the break.
Toulon regained the lead with a try by No. 8 Facunda Isa and padded their lead when scrum half Baptiste Serin surprised the hosts with a quick tapped penalty and bulled over after 64 minutes.
Toulon were reduced to 14 men after Yannick Youyoutte, chasing a kick, flattened Manie Libbok with a high tackle in the 71st minute.
Three minutes later, Stormers lost a player when Marius Domon was shown a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on and Toulon hung on.
In Northampton, Juarno Augustus scored two tries for the hosts.
“We prepared for these conditions and we tried to play the game tighter and run the ball,” Augustus, Northampton’s No. 8, told Premier Sport.
Henry Pollock, a 19-year-old flanker, touched down after a powerful run on his European debut.
“That guy has a bright future,” said Augustus. “He’s unreal.”
Northampton and England scrum half Alex Mitchell made his first start of the season after a neck injury.
In Durban, there were eight tries, six of them in the first half. Exeter hooker Dan Frost bundled over for the first try in the 13th minute. But Phepsi Buthelezi and Springbok duo Makazole Mapimpi and Grant Williams all scored in a six-minute burst for the hosts before Kolisi gave the home side a 26-7 lead after 37 minutes.
Frost and England wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso touched down for the Chiefs in the second half, either side of Kolisi’s second try.
