Realism to ensure the essential on one side, a desire not to leave empty-handed on the other, this is a summary of this match without much rhythm but remained undecided until the end.
While waiting for the trip from Toulouse to Lyon on Saturday evening, we are indeed heading towards a three-way fight for the two places of direct qualifiers after this maritime success.
The French Stadium, so porous lately outside, has rectified the situation well. If he recovered in extremis a defensive bonus that could be expensive in the final tally, he could also rail against the eight points left behind by his Argentine striker Nicolas Sanchez, back in the competition, which weighs heavily in the end.
In the wake of their great victory brought back from Toulon, the Maritimes, usually so conquering and solid to Marcel-Deflandre, were unable to display the same ambitions in the game when everything had started perfectly for them, with this flash. scrum half Thomas Berjon over 40 meters, escaping two tackles to slip between the poles and ideally throw his own (6th).
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But there was no follow-up, the fault of clumsiness and Parisians monopolizing the ball without succeeding in breaking through the well-organized local lock. And as Sanchez had trouble facing the poles (1 out of 4 in the end), La Rochelle turned slightly in the lead at the break (10-0) after having squandered three scrums five meters after the siren.
The recovery was to the advantage of the visitors with an interception of the winger Telusa Veainu who spun to the test and gave a surplus of interest to this encounter (44th). But again, offensives on both sides have been in vain, with the brand being the prerogative of the scorers.
In forcing, Jonathan Danty’s team members recovered a final penalty at the last minute, which was successful by Joris Segonds to pocket a defensive bonus that brought hope.
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Toulouse stops at 11
Toulouse is no longer the leader of the Top 14: Lyon won at the expense of the Stadium (31-23), Saturday at Gerland in the closing match of the 17th day, maintaining the hope of qualifying for the final phase.
In difficulty since the end of December, with only two victories in its last eight meetings, LOU Rugby had to win against the leader in order not to jeopardize his chances of qualification. 7th, the Lyon club comes back four lengths from Toulon (6th).
After nine matches without defeat (eight wins, one draw), Toulouse conceded, meanwhile, its first loss in the Top 14 since November 1 and a trip to the Stade Français.
The Toulousains thus cede first place to Racing and La Rochelle, winners of Castres and Stade Français. They are now third, one point behind the two leaders.
Nakaitaci in Olympic form
Between two teams diminished by the absence of many players, selected or injured, the show was still there. But the LOU could count on the winger Noa Nakaitaci. After his hat-trick last week against Racing, the winger confirmed his international form.
This time he scored twice (7th, 54th). Lyon could also count on the speed and power of the Fijian center, Josh Tuisova, who offered a try to Toby Arnold (35th).
Author of two drops, the striker Jonathan Wisniewski made him an almost flawless against the poles (6/7). Replacing Yohann Huget at a moment’s notice, who remained in Toulouse, the young winger Dimitri Delibes (21) for his part celebrated his first tenure in Top 14 by signing a double in the first period, to allow Ugo Mola’s men to stay contact at break (17-23).
But the Toulouse youth, and the melee weaknesses have proved prohibitive to hope to bring back a positive result.
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