Thomas Ramos lands last-kick penalty as Toulouse edges past Toulon in dramatic Champions Cup quarter-final

Thomas Ramos proved the coolest head in Marseille as his last-gasp penalty snatched a 21-18 victory for Toulouse over rivals Toulon, sending the reigning champions into the Champions Cup semi-finals.

In a tense, bruising encounter between two French giants, Ramos missed what looked to be a decisive penalty with just three minutes left. But when the moment came again in the dying seconds, he stepped up and nailed the kick, silencing the home crowd and keeping Toulouse’s title defence alive.

Toulon had led 12-6 at the break, largely thanks to the unerring boot of Melvyn Jaminet. The former Toulouse full-back kicked four penalties in the first half, punishing Toulouse’s ill-discipline and giving the hosts early control. Ramos responded with two of his own, keeping the visitors within touching distance despite being outplayed for much of the opening 40.

The tide began to turn early in the second half. English flanker Jack Willis powered over the line following sustained Toulouse pressure, with Ramos converting to reduce the deficit to one. Eight minutes later, centre Pita Ahki latched onto a slick move and crashed over for their second try, Ramos adding the extras to give Toulouse the lead for the first time in the match.

But Toulon, determined not to let their European dreams slip away, fought back. Jaminet kept his composure to slot two more penalties, dragging the sides level and setting up a nail-biting finish in front of a fiercely partisan home crowd.

With tension mounting, Ramos had a golden chance to put the visitors ahead with three minutes left, but hooked his effort wide. For a moment, it looked like extra time would be required. But when Toulouse forced a penalty in the final play, Ramos—known for his icy temperament—stepped up once more and struck cleanly between the posts to steal the win.

The result was a bitter blow for Toulon, who had looked composed and controlled for much of the match. Jaminet’s kicking display had them on the front foot early, while the likes of Charles Ollivon and Sergio Parisse provided leadership and grit around the breakdown. But ultimately, they couldn’t stop the Toulouse fightback.

Toulouse’s experience and resilience once again came to the fore in the second half. Romain Ntamack marshalled the game smartly from fly-half, while backs Blair Kinghorn and Juan Cruz Mallia stretched Toulon’s defence. In the pack, Thibaud Flament and Emmanuel Meafou laid down a powerful platform, with Jack Willis continuing his outstanding form since joining from Wasps.

Captain Julien Marchand led by example at hooker, anchoring a strong Toulouse scrum that began to dominate as the match wore on. Crucially, their bench also delivered an impact at the right moments, with François Cros and Anthony Jelonch upping the tempo in the final quarter.

With this win, Toulouse advances to the semi-finals where they’ll face another all-French clash—this time against Bordeaux-Bègles. That encounter, scheduled for next month, promises fireworks as two of the Top 14’s best go head-to-head with a place in the final at stake.

For now, Toulouse can breathe a sigh of relief. Their European crown remains intact, thanks in no small part to a man named Ramos, whose final kick was a moment of pure Champions Cup theatre.