PARIS - Toulouse old boy Frederic Michalak punished his former club by scoring six penalties and a conversion as promoted Lyon won 25-20 in France's Top 14 on Saturday.
Toulouse's Scottish lock Richie Gray (L) jumps to catch the ball from a line out with Lyon's English flanker Carl Fearns (R) during the French Top 14 rugby union match between Lyon and Toulouse on September 17, 2016 at the Matmut stadium
It was a third straight defeat for a Toulouse side who lost to Toulon and Racing in their last two games and who were dominated in defence and too often lost possession.
"We needed a good win against a big team," said Lyon coach Pierre Mignoni. "But my word that was a tough match."
The 33-year-old fly-half Michalak spent 10 years over two spells at Toulouse but piled on the agony against his old club, helping newly promoted Lyon to a 10-0 lead with just 12 minutes gone.
Mignoni felt vindicated on his surprise signing finally coming good.
"I was criticised for signing him but today you saw how valuable he is," he said.
Fijian winger Napolioni Nalaga used brute force to burst through to score Lyon's only try after eight minutes and Michalak added the conversion and four penalties to send Lyon in 19-3 up at the break.
The man who won 77 caps for France was on fire when playing his fifth game for Lyon, whose second row Taïasina Tuifua's relentless cover tackling was also key in undoing Toulouse.
Lyon piled on the pressure in the final 10 minutes of the first half but failed to cash in when they had 15 men to 14 and looked continually on the verge of scoring.
After the break Toulouse bounced back and scored two converted tries and a penalty with Lyon only responding with two penalties.
"We have beaten a very big side and we will beat others too," said Michalak.
Toulouse coach Ugo Mola expressed frustration at his side's failure to convert possession into points.
"We are a much better side than what you might think looking at the 19 points we conceded in the first half and we'll go away, get our heads down and work it out," he said
Their second half tries came from wingers Sofiane Guitoune in the 48th minute and Paul Lusi Perez just after the hour, as Toulouse came within five points of Lyon at 22-17.
But hopes of victory evaporated when suddenly they were down to 13 men as Census Johnston on 65 minutes and Edwin Maka on 67 were yellow-carded and sat out the best part of the rest of the game.