Toulouse, watch out for “thermal shock” when returning to the Top 14
Heavily beaten in Dublin, Stade Toulousain gave up their European title. he must now rebound in the Top 14, from Saturday evening in Brive.
Last week, Stade Toulousain manager Ugo Mola spoke about the next return to the Top 14 and talked about the risk of “ Thermal shock “. Reference to the intensity of recent European opposition for the Red and Blacks, to the emotions known in Ulster and against Munster, but also to the venues in which they have performed recently. Because, in addition to the Aviva Stadium which had more than 40,000 spectators two weekends in a row, they also played twice at the Stadium in front of nearly 30,000 people (against Ulster and La Rochelle) and even at the Vélodrome de Marseille with 60,000 people in the stands (against Toulon). Saturday, it is at the Municipal Stadium of Brive, facing a team which will play its survival in the elite, that the Toulousains will have to ” put your head back”, as Mola hoped after the heavy defeat suffered against the Irish province. Frankly, there is better as a digestive menu and this trip looks like a hell of a trap for the reigning French champions.
“Finding the collective dynamic”
Physically and morally affected after having abandoned the title of European champion, the Stadistes have no choice but to fight in Corrèze to keep their place among the top six on the national scene. ” We have two league games left and we haven’t qualified, far from it.the technician explains. We need to rediscover the collective dynamic. » The staff have decided to place their men on complete rest until Tuesday. After two days of work, they will cut again on Thursday. And, if feathers have been left in the past two weeks with the injuries of Delibes, Médard, Germain and Neti, Mola and his assistants could be tempted to align their executives against CABCL, despite fatigue. Indeed, with this European elimination, Toulouse will finally benefit from a free weekend, in stride, before continuing on the last day of the regular phase against Biarritz. He will not be too much in the “defense of the Brennus” operation…