Tops
Racing 92 received five out of five
After Montpellier, Brive, Clermont and Castres, Racing 92 confirmed its good momentum by chaining a fifth consecutive victory against the reigning French champion, Stade Toulousain (30-27). This victory obtained at the end of the end, after the siren, thanks to the late try of his winger Olivier Klemenczak (usual center) in the corner (80th + 2). After running behind the score for almost the entire match, the Ciel et Blancs were rewarded for their selflessness which saw the second-line Fabien Sanconnie (25th), in force and then replacing Dorian Laborde (40th + 1) in the corner also register an essay. This victory also allowed Laurent Travers' men to reach the podium of the Top 14.
The Ile-de-France pack has raised its head
Significantly dominated in the first act with several conceded penalties in close scrum, the Ile-de-France scrum gradually increased in strength in the second half, before offering victory to its team. In the last moments, the Ciel et Blanc chain the penalties by opting for the penaltouches with balloon carried and melee and eventually crack the Toulousains. First by forcing their captain Iosefa Tekori to collapse a maul and to receive a yellow card before registering the test of victory which started from a domineering melee.
Kolbe can do it all
He was not voted the best player in the world for nothing. Against Racing 92, Cheslin Kolbe, winger by training, was established as an opener. And the least we can say is that it has been impressive in this role. Precise in his transmissions but also against the poles (4/5, 10 points), the South African world champion has shown the full extent of his technical palette and has almost brought his own to a big blow at Paris La Defense Arena. In the absence of Romain Ntamack, Antoine Dupont and with the suspension of Zach Holmes, he once again showed his coach Ugo Mola his role as a Swiss army knife in the Toulouse workforce, he who played in all positions red and black back lines, except half of scrum.
flops
End of period prejudicial to Toulousains
Facing the Ile-de-France, Stade Toulousain bit the dust twice after the siren by taking tests. The first through Dorian Laborde, which allowed the Skies and Whites to equalize and the second by Olivier Klémenczak who costs the victory to the Haut-Garonnais. Defensive mistakes that are expensive, especially since the Reds and Blacks cashed almost as many points after the siren of the two acts (14) as on the rest of the match (16th).
The exit of Bézy, turning point of the match?
After a first quarter of an hour, the Toulousains led the score (7-3) thanks to the test of their center Pita Ahki (13th) and his close to a double with Sébastien Bézy (18th). After having countered a clearance from Finn Russell, the scrum half tore away to flatten but ran into the return of Ile-de-France winger Louis Dupichot. Very close to increasing the advance of its partners, the head to head shock of the one who will play under the colors of ASM Clermont next season to carry out a concussion protocol which will prove inconclusive. Despite an interesting entry, his replacement Pierre Pages was a tone below the standing of the French international (7 selections). Nobody will ever know what would have happened to the Rouge et Noirs if their playing master had made the whole match, but it is plausible to think that the result would have been quite different.
Read also
- 2019/2020 Top 14 Ranking
