The three-time European champion has won only two of its eight Top 14 fixtures this season and Patrice Collazo saw the pressure on him mount against his former club.

La Rochelle had Ihaia West to thank for inspiring it to victory, the New Zealander having scored all its points with a try, conversion and two penalties.

All Toulon could muster in response was a trio of three-pointers from Anthony Belleau, leaving it stuck in the bottom two, with only Perpignan keeping it off the foot of the table.

In the day's other match, Lyon crumbled to a disappointing 35-13 defeat at Bordeaux-Begles.

Lyon had been looking to climb above Toulouse into third but dropped to sixth, behind Bordeaux, thanks to a strong performance from its host, for which Baptiste Serin racked up 17 points.