Kolbe scores consolation try as Lyon dominate Toulon to claim maiden European Challenge Cup title

New Zealanders Jordan Taufua and Charles Ngatai were at the heart of a tough-as-teak Lyon defence that helped the Top 14 team to its first European title with a comprehensive 30-12 victory over Toulon in the Challenge Cup final on Friday.

Lyon led 10-7 at half-time thanks to Baptiste Couilloud's try converted by Leo Berdeu, who also bagged a penalty. Baptiste Serin crossed for Toulon's try, Louis Carbonel hitting the extras.

Lyon turned the screw in the second-half, with a penalty try followed by a try for Pierre-Louis Barassi with Toulon's Aymeric Luc in the sin bin. Cheslin Kolbe crossed for a late consolation try, but by then Berdeu and Ngatai had each hit a penalty to condemn Toulon to a fourth Challenge Cup final defeat.

Taufua said his team had been "after a performance we could be proud of and I thought we did that tonight.

"Championships are won on defence and the boys stepped up."

Toulon coach Franck Azema said Lyon had produced a "great performance". "Rugby is a pressure game and we yielded to the pressure.

"They were better in just about everything."

Fans had barely got comfortable before Couilloud gathered a Ngatai chip and streaked over, but referee Luke Pearce ruled the try out because of an earlier knock-on by Lyon captain Taufua.

Taufua's barn-storming start to the match, however, got just desserts in the eighth minute when he intercepted a pass by Italy veteran Sergio Parisse and surged towards the Toulon tryline.

The defence managed to bring him down, but the former Samoa and New Zealand under-20 representative popped up a delicious offload that Couilloud took without breaking stride for the opening try.

Berdeu kicked the conversion despite the deafening whistles from the massed ranks of Toulon fans.

Toulon