Toulouse-UBB: the favorites and the claws of our special correspondent

Special envoy to Lille,

Favorites

What a game !

Often in knockout matches, the stakes take precedence over the game. Not this Saturday night.

From the outset, the two teams started the game, put intensity.

Movement, daring, a huge fight.

And four essays - two on each side - beautiful.

A formidable semi-final.

Ramos carries Toulouse

Long injured this winter, the Toulouse rear has been building up since his return a month ago.

To explode during this semi-final.

A near-faultless in his role as scorer (5/6) and a furious attempt to register 19 of the 24 points for his team.

His attempt, in the 66th minute, rewarded a long series of playing time for Toulouse.

Served launched by Antoine Dupont, he escaped the first two defenders before taking Jalibert with him in the Bordeaux in-goal.

Decisive.

And designated man of the match.

Ben Lam strikes twice

The Bordeaux salvation seemed to come from his winger, author of two tries in the 12th then the 54th minute. The first to return to 8-7, the second, served by a superb chistera from Dubié, to take the advantage for the first time (14-15). Misimoa Benjamin - said Ben - Lam had made speak his power (1.94m, 115 kilos) and then recalled the great player that he is, he who finished in 2012 top scorer in Super rugby with the Hurricanes (16 tries in 16 starts ). The former All Blacks Sevens star finally lived up to the hopes placed in him. "

He had a little trouble getting into the season, he was discovering a lot of things.

Then he had a good period in January and February where he scored decisive tries.

Then his knee got in his way and he couldn't accelerate.

But, for some time, we felt he was coming back

, summed up his manager Christophe Urios.

A winger, he is asked to score tries.

He fulfilled his contract…

”

Scratches

Seuteni thunders Ntamack

The image is cold in the back. A head-to-head telescoping that leaves Romain Ntamack completely KO and the Samoan tottering, his forehead open. An action that would have serious consequences for both teams; Final exit of the Toulouse opener and red card for the Bordeaux center. Mr. Trainini, in agreement with the video referee, Laurent Millotte, in fact considered that it was “

an imprudent tackle. The player arrives with great speed and danger. It does not drop significantly, justified the referee to the captain of the UBB. He has no extenuating circumstances.

A sanction strongly contested by Christophe Urios.

Looking back at the slow motion, however, we could only shudder when we saw the young Ntamack collapse instantly, his eyes rolled back.

A brutal shock which can only frighten.

Read also: Toulouse-UBB: the impressive knockout of Romain Ntamack

UBB lacks control

The Bordelais knew they had to make an almost perfect copy to finally overcome Stade Toulousain. However, in the first half especially, they were far too undisciplined (8 penalties conceded). They also committed some small slag for ammunition too easily returned to the adversary. "

In the first half, there are some announcements a little doubled, we do not really know what we are doing, we do not stay too much in the frame

", recognized the center of the UBB Rémi Lamerat. Seuteni's red card then seriously complicated their task as they returned with better resolutions. “

Losing a soldier in a heavy moment is hard to swallow. But it's like that. Teams have managed to win matches after a red,not us…

», Summarizes Lamerat.

Toulouse, the black cat of Bordeaux

And four.

This season, the Bordelais lost their four confrontations against the Toulouse.

In the semi-final of the Champions Cup, on May 1, they lost 21 to 9. This time, reduced to 14 per hour of play, they failed by nothing, 24 to 21. So close that Christophe Urios, jaws contracted and face white with rage, cried injustice.

“

I think the best team didn't win tonight.

We deserved this one.

All the blows of fate are in favor of Stade Toulousain.

Four times they are played and four times they are the same.

I will not spill over on it but I feel a lot of anger,

“swayed the Girondin manager, implying that the arbitration had been biased.