Eight seasons after a fully loaded Saracens team triumphed at Stade Mayol, a rotated version succumbed to a devastating second-half surge from Toulon – but not before rattling their opponents by bolting out to a 35-13 lead.
There were 16 tries in all, six to the impressively defiant Saracens and 10 more to their hosts. An intoxicating first half comprised 62 points in all, with the second period yielding 52 more; utter carnage on Côte d’Azur.
Ultimately, Toulon set up their convincing comeback, which demonstrated their formidable depth and dynamism, with two retaliatory scores at the end of the opening stanza.