Toulouse / Blagnac, a final between neighbors
This Saturday, in Grenoble, the teams of Toulouse and Blagnac compete to win the title of champion of France. An unprecedented final that promises to be tight.
The title of champion of France will be awarded to an Occitan club. The Toulousaines and the Blagnacaises touch with their fingertips the shield they have been brushing against for a few years. This Saturday, the Hauts-Garonnaises will have 80 minutes to embark on the lawn of the Stade des Alpes, in Grenoble, in an enticing encounter.
Stade Toulousain dominated in the semi-final against Bordeaux in Dax (31-12). Despite a suspended first period (12-9 at halftime), the Toulousaines managed to impose their rhythm, in particular thanks to their number nine, Laure Sansus, elected best player of the Six Nations Tournament. Powerless, the Girondines become more and more imprecise and feverish in defense. The Bordelaises will have scored only one penalty in the second half.
Controlled semis
In Brive, the remake of last year’s final, ASM Romagnat-Blagnac, kept its promises. The meeting promised to be more than close between these two teams, from which Clermont emerged victorious in 2021. In 2022, the trend was reversed in the semi-finals. Faulty and too discreet, the Auvergnates let themselves be pushed around by more realistic players from Blagnac. In the first period, the BRF lead the boat, thirsty for revenge, crucifying the Romagna defense twice (12-3). In the second period, ASM Romagnat tries to come back from the restart by offering offensives. An effort that will pay off thanks to the test of Camille Raoux (12-8). During the last ten minutes, the BRF accentuated their lead and controlled the end of the match by winning with the score of 15-8.
A legit final
It’s no surprise to find these two teams in the final considering their 2020/2021 season. On the one hand, Blagnac is vice-champion of France. On the other, Stade Toulousain had seen its journey stop at the gates of the finals, precisely against the BRF. Will a little spirit of revenge be present in the minds of the Rouge et Noir this Saturday? In any case, the two Haut-Garonne clubs managed to meet in the final. The players from the pink city have also never been defeated this season… an observation in line with the fact that a good part of the players, from Toulouse but also from Blagnac, play for the French team.
More than ever, they will have gone back to winning the final that slipped through their fingers last year, the Blagnacaises will want to go down in history by winning their third title of champion of France, the last dating from 1993! Stade Toulousain wants to win the tenth title of champion of France, the first under this name (formerly Toulouse Fémina Sports). So which of the two teams came out on top this season? Hard to say. Whether it is one or the other, the shield will necessarily be Occitan and more precisely Haut-Garonne.
Severine Bouquet