The Haut-Garonnais club, winner of the dam on Saturday evening (33-28), will find next week in Nice, his neighbor Castres, first of the regular phase.
Le Monde
The defending champion always breathes. The Toulouse stadium qualified for the semi-finals of the Top 14 thanks to an authoritarian victory, Saturday June 11, in the dam against its favorite victim, La Rochelle (33-28).
put on orbit by a great Antoine Dupont, Toulouse, deprived of his European title, has chained a seventh consecutive success against the new European champion, too blunt to catch up with his failed start despite a burst of pride in the last moments. But after having chained high intensity matches in recent weeks, the Rochelais have not found the weapons to compete with this Toulouse.
“We beat a big team, welcomed Ugo Mola, the Toulouse coach. We are well placed to know that when you earn a European title, you have a form of enthusiasm that allows you to do Incredible things. I had fears about our ability to respond to this energy, but today Toulouse set in front of La Rochelle. “
Pique in their pride after their heavy defeat in the semi-finals of the European Cup against the Irish of Leinster (40-17), the Toulousains gave heart to the work to keep their other title and S ‘ Offer a shock next week in Nice, against the neighbor Castres, first of the regular phase.
Dupont decisive
In the furnace of Ernest-Wallon, where the temperature was still around 30 ° at the start of the evening, the champions of France, full of envy, started at a very high pace. And as often, Antoine Dupont was responsible for lighting the first strands. The best world player of the year 2021 gave in two stages and some beautiful movements a decisive advantage to his team (15-0 after 18 minutes).
Well found inside by the international hooker Peato Mauvaka, preferred in the starting XV to Julien Marchand, the melee half was first offered, with a kick over for himself , a breakthrough concluded by the Pierre Fouyssac center. He then personally took care of flattening the second try of the Red and Black, five minutes later, after having given the Ouvper Rochelais Ihaia West, author of a very complicated start to the match.
Neither the exit on injury, from the 20 e minute, of the third international line François Cros, nor the trials in force of the third Rochelais lines Wiaan Liebenberg (26
la Rochelle saves appearances
Less sovereign in the second act, Toulouse still managed to register two other tests, thanks to the Argentinian Juan Cruz Mallia, who had already marked last year in the European Cup final, and Romain Ntamack .
The two tests at the very end of the match of Pierre Bourgarit (79
“It is a great disappointment to achieve a performance like that, admitted Ronan O’Gara, the coach of La Rochelle. We were dominated in aggressiveness, the best team won. Not a photo, congratulations to Toulouse. It may be too much for us, but it’s not an excuse. “
After having already crushed Biarritz (80-7) during the 26