Montpellier Hérault Rugby succeeds Stade Toulousain. The Hérault rugby players raised their first Brennus shield this Friday evening. In front of 80,000 spectators and rugby fans, they beat Castres Olympique 29-10 in the Top 14 final at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis. Montpellier residents are sacred French champion for the first time in the history of the club after finishing second at the end of the regular phase of the championship. They also took their revenge during this remake of the 100% Occitan final of 2018 which, at the time, had been won by Castres Olympique (29-13).
Castres and Montpellier had won their ticket to this Top 14 final after respectively beating Stade Toulousain and Union Bordeaux-Bègles in the semi-finals. The CO has already been crowned French first division champion five times in 1949, 1950, 1993, 2013 and 2018, while the MHR was still in search of its first title, which is now done. This first Brennus shield for Montpellier is also a great gift for Fulgence Ouedraogo, figure of the MHR and Guilhem Guirado, former captain of the XV of France, two icons of French rugby officially retired at the end of this final.
Three Montpellier tries in the first quarter of an hour
The MHR led 23-3 at halftime. The Hérault rugby players scored three tries in the first quarter of an hour of play. Three tries by Arthur Vincent (7th), Florian Verhaehe (11th) and Anthony Bouthier (14th). Montpellier have dominated in all areas of the game during this first half, and were able to take advantage of each error from Castres to widen the gap.
Castres Olympique showed a better face in the second half. Vilimoni Botitu managed to break through the defense of the MHR to concretize with a try (75th).
The thread of this Top 14 final
–
