It was probably not the best final, both on paper and on the pitch, in the history of the Top 14, but Montpellier went for their title with style.
In a Stade de France where glory had been denied them during their two appearances in 2011 and 2018, the Héraultais largely dominated Castres, their executioner four years ago and the last obstacle which stood in the way of a first coronation.
Montpellier champion is a first in the history of French rugby.
But basically, there is a form of logic in seeing rewarded a club that has been circling more or less regularly around the Brennus shield for a short decade.
But remember: this duel, whoever won, was bound to be suffocating.
A somber opposition of forwards with centimeters gained and fierce fights in one of those nostalgic rugby matches where the magicians stand idly by watching the nags do their thing.
The way had been traced by two semi-finals where Tarnais and Héraultais had cooled Toulouse and Bordeaux-Bègles, which is the best in terms of flights in France.
But in the end, the MHR won their title by grabbing by the throat an opponent visibly chilled by the long presidential handshakes before kick-off.
Castres was a spectator for the first quarter of an hour, and the rare times in this period of time when the Tarnais raised their hands to say that they had the right to play, it was only awkwardness and gifts to the opponents.
Three tries in six minutes for Montpellier
A movement on the wing concluded by the ghost Arthur Vincent (6th), a powerful crossing by Florian Verhaeghe (10th), a nice combination concluded by the legs of Anthony Bouthier (12th), and that's three tries in six minutes in the first fifteen minutes.
It's huge and it's irretrievable when the strength of your squad relies on this ability to deliver fierce duels in tight encounters.
Admittedly, there was an attempt at rebellion in the second half, as much by pride as by the qualities that allowed Castres to finish first in the regular season.
But Montpellier was determined not to let go of his case, chaining authoritarian defensive sequences and in-extremis rescues.
In short, it was the MHR match, that of a team that has come a long way.
In the fight to avoid relegation a year and a half ago, the club of the treasurer of French rugby Mohed Altrad has completely metamorphosed in the wake of the arrival of the former coach of the Blues Philippe Saint-André on the bench.
After offering him a European Challenge last season, the man of the fiasco against the All Blacks at the 2015 World Cup was one of the big players in this domestic coronation.
History will also remember that one of his often unhappy soldiers in the tricolor jersey, Guilhem Guirado, retired with a title and a match cut short by a concussion.
For them as for Montpellier, it was an evening to reconcile with the Stade de France.
