Tops
Toulouse new leader
It was the big stake of this late match of the 15th day of Top 14: who would be the new leader of the championship.
The answer ?
The Stade Toulousain.
Led at the break, the 2019 French champion managed to turn the tide in the second period, finding the flaw in the last moments, as often this season (17th try in the last quarter of an hour).
A narrow victory, a meager advantage, but oh so important for Toulouse, the new leader.
Coaching paid by Ugo Mola
He had notably made the choice to align Cheslin Kolbe at the opening, in a fairly experimental XV.
Ugo Mola revised his plans quickly in the second period, bringing in Germain and Fouyssac (57th).
Two changes that resulted in a complete modification of the hinge, resulting in the repositioning of Kolbe at the rear and Holmes.
Welcome tactical adjustments, which have changed the face of Stade Toulousain.
Germain's speed and creativity gradually allowed Toulouse to pull back the opposing defensive curtain, until it cracked at the end of the match.
Omnipresent botia
He was one of the most prominent players on Saturday at Marcel-Deflandre.
Levani Botia made an impressive performance, scoring the Rochelle test (22nd), constantly managing to find the ball in hand.
But it is also (above all) behind that the Fijian center has distinguished itself, proving itself essential in the La Rochelle defensive line.
As a boss, he notably recovered two balls from mauls.
Flops
La Rochelle finally cracked
After 20 matches without defeat and almost two years of unbeaten, the Marcel-Deflandre stadium ended up falling into foreign hands.
As in March 2019, it is against Stade Toulousain that the Rochelais lost their immunity totem.
End of series for Stade Rochelais, which lost the lead in the championship.
Note the eight points forgotten by Plisson, yet author of a good performance, which are lacking in the Maritimes.
Médard not very inspired
Among the usual bosses of Stade Toulousain, Maxime Médard experienced a complicated match against Stade Rochelais.
The experienced international tricolor (63 selections) did not manage to illustrate himself as he would have liked, suffering the comparison with Thomas Ramos, retained with the XV of France.
The Toulouse full-back made three unusual forward moves in the first period, at times weighing down his team.
It is part of Ugo Mola's double change before the hour mark (57th).
Lebel muzzled, Rhule transparent
Author of 11 tries this season, Matthis Lebel was expected as one of the leaders of this top-of-the-table shock.
It will not be.
Muzzled, the young U20 world champion (21) did not have a real attacking ball to get to hand.
The same goes for the South African Raymond Rhule, invisible throughout a meeting which was mainly fought in the center of the field.
Read also
Top 14: Calendar and Results
Top 14: Ranking
