Press Center: Toulouse again leader
Toulouse – Perpignan: 37-15 Deprived of its internationals and shaken up in the first period, Stade Toulousain was able to accelerate after the break.
Usap almost did it! But it only lasted half of the game. Faced with a Toulouse team weakened by the absence of its internationals, the Catalans did better than a level game in the first half, even taking the advantage in the 28 minute (8-10). Lacking benchmarks and physically jostled, the Toulouse had to wait for the stoppage of the first act to return to the height of Usap thanks to Selevasio Tolofua (15-15).
Perpignan coach Patrick Arlettaz in the same laugh at the end of the meeting: “We tried to stop the match at half-time, but we did not succeed … Toulouse raised its level in the second half but we also lowered. ”
“On a tried
to stop
the game
at halftime “
After returning to the locker room, the Catalans ran out of steam and have no more registration at the slightest point. It was Toulouse’s third line Tolofua which was again decisive on a sublime pass after contact which allowed Maxime Médard to offer a little air to his family on the restart (22-15, 44). Sharper, Stade Toulousain then managed the end of the match perfectly to offer the buzzer an enhanced victory on a final test by Arthur Bonneval. The Rouge et Noir therefore once again became the leader of the Top 14: dispossessed of his first place after his defeat in Racing (18-26) on the last day, the reigning French champion did not miss the opportunity to recover well at the expense of Union Bordeaux-Bègles, beaten in La Rochelle this Friday (3-26).
Despite the absences – among others – of their eleven Blues retained in the France team, the Toulouse therefore avoided the famous trap of “doubles” in which they had fallen in particular during the season, at home, against Lyon (7-16) or in Castres (16-16).
The Pro D2 champion, also deprived of his international back Melvyn Jaminet, did not have his side to take advantage of this windfall of the calendar and recorded his fifth consecutive defeat on the road. Usap remains stuck in last place in the standings.