It is not easy every day to be at the head of the Stade Toulousain. And it's not Ugo Mola who will say the opposite. The Toulouse coach must compose without many players while a perilous move awaits his club at Racing 92 (4th). "Racing is in a good dynamic, I'm not sure we are going at the best time," said Mola on Friday. Between injuries, suspensions and players occupied with their international duty, hard for him to align a team capable of making a blow at the Paris Défense Arena. Like an air of deja vu on the side of the pink city. The World Cup had already deprived Stade Toulousain of many players at the start of the season.
A situation all the more difficult as the fate seems to be baited on the red and black club and on certain positions in particular. Thus the champions of France lost, and this for several weeks, their two straight pillars holders during the victory against Gloucester in the European Cup (35-14). Charlie Faumuina and Dorian Aldegheri absent, it is Paulo Tafili and Maks van Dyk who are going to share the position against Racing 92, and should continue to do so during the next matches of the club. If they are far from being beginners (Van Dyk even participated in the last final of the Top 14), they do not have the experience of the two usual holders and could pay it, while Racing 92 and its first overpowered line promise them hell in melee and in the game.
A depopulated hinge
Questions in front, but no more certainty behind. Because if the right pillar post is stripped, the Toulouse hinge faces a real slaughter. At the opening, the three incumbents, Romain Ntamack, Thomas Ramos (French team) and Zack Holmes (suspension) will not be traveling. A problem that could have pushed Ugo Mola to launch the young Tristan Tedder from the start. His statements at a press conference on Friday went in this direction.
“Tristan is at the club to continue his evolution and his progression. Unfortunately, he had a little trouble at the start of the season because he put a lot of pressure on himself. We believe in its potential and may be that with less waiting it will perform well ”. But at the announcement of the compositions, surprise: it is finally Cheslin Kolbe who will start the meeting with the number 10 in the back, Tedder starting on the bench. Usually winger or rear, Kolbe had never evolved at the opening since his arrival in Toulouse. Quite a gamble.
Also absent from Racing 92
Paradoxically, Stade Toulousain can also thank its opponent before this meeting. Deprived of the tailgating of Julien Marchand, the reds and blacks recovered Peato Mauvaka also called him previously to Marcoussis, thanks to the return of injury to the Blues of Camille Chat, hooker… of Racing 92! He is not the only one absent from Ciel et Blanc for this match since Fabien Galthié also called Bernard Le Roux, Boris Palu, Virimi Vakatawa and Teddy Thomas to play the third day of the 6 Nations Tournament against the Pays de Wales. Weakened by absences, Stade Toulousain can at least console itself by saying that it is not the only one.
Read also
- Agen - Castres: woe to the vanquished