In pain, Racing 92 won Sunday in its Arena against its neighbor and rival Stade Français (33-22), validating its ticket for the quarterfinals of the Champions Cup after the success won at Jean-Bouin in eighth first leg (9-22).
A lackluster success against rebellious Parisians, beaten three times during this unprecedented triple confrontation (two in the European Cup and one in the Top 14).
The Ciel et Blancs, who are aiming for a first continental title after having failed three times in the final (2016, 2018, 2020), will receive the English from Sale (who took out their compatriots from Bristol) for a place in the last four.
After these unprecedented round of 16 in a round trip format, return to knockout matches.
And with four representatives present in the European top 8, French rugby is hitting hard.
Even if some big teams have had some scares.
Thus, Stade Toulousain qualified in extremis against Ulster by a very small point in the aggregate scores (20-26 defeat in the first leg at home, 30-23 success in the return), thanks to a try in any end of the match of the inevitable Antoine Dupont.
“This team does not give up.
I'll be satisfied with that.
I don't know if it's pride, or rather pride.
The pride of not wanting to let go of this trophy, the pride of playing a quarter-final”,
greeted Ugo Mola, the Toulouse manager.
Bordeaux must stop the bleeding
After a big air hole at the start of the year, partly due to the absence of its internationals, the reigning French and European champions are regaining their colors and gaining momentum.
In the quarterfinals, they will continue their Irish stroll since after having eliminated Ulster they will go to rub shoulders with Munster, whom they eliminated last year at the same stage of the competition.
Another team in form at the moment, Montpellier, leader of the Top 14, also snatched their qualification on the smallest of the gaps against Harlequins.
The MHR, with a revamped team, held firm on the field of the English champions.
Winners after a spectacular match last week (40-26), Philippe Saint-André's men lost (33-20) on the lawn of Twickenham Stoop but managed to contain the many English attacks ( five tries scored, against two for the Héraultais).
The nugget of English rugby, the opener Marcus Smith, had the transformation of the win at the end of the foot, but he failed.
At the same time, La Rochelle literally sickened Bordeaux-Bègles, beaten three times in a row and unable to contain the power of the Maritimes.
The Girondin club, still second in the league, will have to revive and stop the bleeding: the troop of Christophe Urios has indeed conceded eight defeats in its last nine games.
In the quarter-finals, we will find a new Franco-French confrontation since Rochelais and Montpellier will do battle.
The assurance of having at least one Top 14 club in the last four.
“It's not because we made a final last year
(defeat against Toulouse, editor's note)
that we should trivialize the knockout stages of the Champions Cup.
We are happy to be able to receive Montpellier and to offer a quarter to our supporters
, ”underlines Grégory Alldritt, number 8 of Stade Rochelais and the XV of France.
With the support of their fervent supporters in Marcel-Deflandre, Ronan O'Gara's players will have a definite advantage over the Héraultais.
Valuable in the quest for a first title since the recent outbreak of the caravel club at the highest level.
The quarter-finals (May 6, 7, 8): Racing-Sale, La Rochelle-Montpellier, Munster-Toulouse, Leicester-Leinster.
