Toulouse could be the only French team in the semi-final, a first since 2019. Union Bordeaux-Bègles and Stade Rochelais were blackballed from the competition, respectively by Harlequins and Leinster.
There were five French clubs on the starting line, so only Toulouse – opposed this Sunday (4 p.m.) against Exeter – remains to carry the hopes of French rugby. Between 2016 and 2019, there was only one club from the Top 14 in the last four of the Champions Cup. The trend was reversed during the last three editions with the coronations of Toulouses (2021) and La Rochelle (2022, 2023) Announced moribund after the serious financial crisis, the English clubs are ultimately doing better than the French. Exeter can still believe in it, even if the march is high against Toulousain. Northampton, with their ultra-offensive play, qualified for the first time in their history in theLast four. And Northampton imitated them by crushing the South African Bulls (59-22)