Toulon's victory in Top 14 match

Toulon defeated Section Paloise 41-20 in the seventh round of the Top 14 at the Mayol Stadium on Saturday evening. The win was highlighted by Melvyn Jaminet's hat-trick and strong performances from several other Toulonnais players.

Huw Jones scores first try for Toulon

Huw Jones, a Scottish center who joined Toulon this summer, scored his first try in red and black during the match. He broke through the Paloise defense twice and covered 37 meters with the ball in hand, the second-highest total for Toulon behind Tomás Albornoz.

Jones' performance and reputation

Despite missing 3 out of 7 tackles attempted, Jones is considered one of the world's best number 13s in attack and is expected to be included in the World Rugby team of the year for 2025. Maxime Petitjean, the coach in charge of the kicking game for RCT, praised Jones for his strength and defensive skills during a press conference reported by Var-Matin.

Unusual path to international rugby

Born in Edinburgh to Welsh and Scottish parents, Jones did not follow the usual path of Scottish internationals. After high school, he spent a sabbatical year in South Africa, working at a school in Cape Town and playing for False Bay in 2013 before enrolling at the University of Cape Town.

Jones' career and recent moves

Jones played Super Rugby with the Stormers in 2015 without passing through the Scottish youth teams. He joined Glasgow in the middle of the 2017-2018 season, played for Harlequins in 2021-2022, and returned to Glasgow until 2026. This autumn, he joined the Chardon XV to prepare for the second phase of the Six Nations Championship.

Support from teammate Ben White

According to Var-Matin, Toulon teammate Ben White believes Jones is gaining strength every week. White noted that the Scottish player is finding his place in the group, also thanks to his humor, and is beginning to speak French well. Facing Pau, he was "magnificent," and White said, "the more he plays, the more confidence he will gain."