Strugglers Grenoble defeat Toulouse in shock win

Grenoble climbed provisionally off the foot of the French Top 14 table on Thursday with a rousing 26-22 win over a Toulouse still getting over their European exertions.

The win ignites vague hopes of escaping relegation for the Alpine hosts and leaves Toulouse rooted in seventh and outside the end-of-season play-off places.

Toulouse had been expecting a physical battle after back-to-back thumping victories (36-6 and 54-15) over hapless Italians Zebre in the European Champions Cup and so it proved to be.

It was just the third win of the season for the hosts who were inspired throughout and took the first try of the game on 20 minutes through hooker Loick Jammes.

Before Xavier Mignot scored the second on 51 Toulouse had a try of their own from Gael Fickou harshly ruled out for obstruction.

Jean-Marc Doussain scored all Toulouse's points but the side who finished sixth last term eventually struggled against the side who started bottom.

The big game of the week sees second-placed Montpellier host mega-rich Toulon on Friday night in an encounter rendered all the more important by each side's European struggles.