Engaged in an end of the season full of suspense to go and snatch the qualification, the Stade Français did the right thing on Saturday (32-10) against Montpellier who had turned for the Challenge Cup final.
Provisionally sixth, the Parisians offered the right to fight to the end.
What you must remember :
Overcome, or lose faith. Relaunched in the race for the top 6 after three consecutive successes - and coming back out of nowhere, it must be said - the Stade Français knew what to expect this afternoon, when it was time to welcome Montpellier residents too on a formidable dynamic (8 consecutive victories in all competitions, including 5 in the Championship). Win a victory, enhanced if possible, to confirm their return to business.
First under the deluge and the gusts in Jean-Bouin, the Parisians struggled to impose their pace, their power, even their experience. Faced with Hérault residents who had yet made the bet of youth, before the Challenge Cup final Friday night at Twickenham against Leicester. But as a sign, the sun reappeared above the capital at the half-hour mark, the moment that Sefanaia Naivalu chose to score the first try of the match after a strong Parisian time (30th, 8-3) , his 5th try this season. At first brave, then undisciplined, the MHR paid for its inexperience and its indiscipline, receiving in the first act two yellow cards and especially a red - headline of the pillar Grégory Fichten on Nicolás Sánchez (36th) - allowing the opportunity converted by the scrum-half south-af 'James Hall (38th, 15-3).
Under pressure, the Montpellier had the merit of going to register a try by the opportunist Romain Macurdy (50th, 15-10), but Paris went to seek success and an offensive bonus that could count thanks to Telusa Veainu (62nd, 20-10), Alex Arrate (69th, 27-10) and Talalelei Gray (79th, 32-10).
After the defeat of Castres on the lawn of the UBB (20-16), this fourth victory in a row allows the Parisians, sixth with two days to go, to hope hard as iron hold an improbable top 6.
The fact of the match: too heavy a schedule for Montpellier
Symbol of this Montpellier youth, the French second line Romain Macurdy offered his first career attempt in the second act, for his very first tenure with the MHR.
At 19, the son of the glorious club history Michel Macurdy gave a little hope to his team, which could ensure its maintenance in case of success.
But at 14, Hérault already diminished - and who lost Samuel Maximin to injury (54th) - could not hold out, for their third meeting in seven days.
The hellish calendar, imposed by the postponements, weighed.
The number: 1
A victory that does a lot of good, and which puts an end to a dearth: Stade Français had not won against MHR for nearly three years, and a Top 14 meeting in October 2018 (25-20).
