Tops
The undisputed champion is Toulouse.
Reigning champions of France and Europe, the Toulousains advance as the favorites for the Brennus race version 2021-2022.
And what could be better as a signal sent to the big teams than to win on the field of the vice-champion of France?
Manhandled for an hour, the visitors seemed in difficulty.
Like all great teams, the Rouge et Noir were able to make the difference on a stroke of brilliance, that of its opener Romain Ntamack (65th).
The (many) absences did not weigh on the Toulousains
The French champion advanced with a team decimated by absences due to injuries (Charlie Faumuina, Emmanuel Meafou, Pita Ahki, Pierre Fouyssac and Iosefa Tekori) and because of selections (Rynardht Esltadt, Juan Cruz Mallia, Santiago Chocobares and Anthony Jelonch). Well helped by the return of their opener Romain Ntamack, the Toulousans made the round back for an hour before taking the measure of the premises.
The Marcel-Deflandre stadium responded present
This first day of Top 14 version 2021-2022 made it possible to find the public in all the stadiums of Top 14. That of the Marcel-Deflandre stadium, surely one of the noisiest of our championship, has lived up to its reputation tonight.
He pushed like a 16th man the entire time.
And he got annoyed at the red card of his second row Will Skelton.
Flops
The lack of realism of La Rochelle
But how the men of Ronan O'Gara were able to return to the locker room at the break with only one point ahead of the scoreboard (10-9)? Dominators in all areas of the game, the Maritimes have nonetheless favored the penalty kicks for each penalty obtained. They scored only one try, via Jules Favre (18th). A lack of realism that cost dearly in the final count. And the second defeat in two years at home for the Maritimes against the Haut-Garonnais.
Will Skelton, the gesture that changed the game
We play the 57th minute.
La Rochelle dominates the meeting and plays his hand.
On an innocuous percussion from Rory Arnold, the Australian giant involuntarily hit the head of his compatriot with his arm.
The sanction, logical, caused the fall of his teammates, distraught without the density of their second line.
Plisson, three costly failures
The opener Jules Plisson missed the target three times this Sunday evening.
Three penalties that were in his strings.
Add to that the failure of Jules Le Bail, who took over the goal late in the game, and you get 12 points left behind.
A crippling figure against the formidable champions of France.