The verdict is in: Castres and Montpellier qualified directly for the Top 14 semi-finals on Sunday after a crazy 26th and last day.
The Castres have confirmed their good form of the moment by dominating Pau (26-16), which allows them to finish at the top of the classification, in front of Montpellier, however beaten in Clermont (20-15). The Héraultais managed to keep their 2nd place thanks to UBB’s misstep in front of Perpignan (22-15), to qualify directly for the semi-finals.
For the title holder, Toulouse (4th), and the just European champion, La Rochelle (5th), it will be necessary to go through the dams. The two clubs will therefore surely meet for a rematch of the final of the 2020-2021 season, but this time for a place in the semi-finals. The Toulousains have, in any case, atomized Biarritz, which is relegated to Pro D2, 80 to 7 with twelve tries, including two for its future retirees Iosefa Tekori and Maxime Médard. On the La Rochelle side, the European champions are relieved after having bent for a long time, without breaking up against Lyon (29-26).
Clermont and Toulon in the Champions Cup
In the other dam, it is Bordeaux (3rd) and Racing 92 who will face each other. The Ile-de-France residents had to fight to win their twelfth ticket for the final stages since the 2009-2010 season, ahead of the RCT (21-16), too undisciplined and too clumsy.
The semi-finals are scheduled for June 17 and 18 in Nice.
There must have been some disappointed on Sunday evening since neither Clermont, nor Lyon, nor Toulon have entered the play-offs this season. Seventh and eighth respectively, Clermont and Toulon will compete in the Champions Cup next season, which will feature South African franchises for the first time.
On the other hand, Perpignan, 13th, will play for its survival in the Top 14 in front of the finalist of Pro D2 Mont-de-Marsan, during the final of accession / relegation.
–
