Top 14. Can Castres defeat Toulouse? Four assets of the Tarn spoilsport
Castres can no longer remain hidden in the shadows. For the Top 14 semi-final between CO and Stade Toulousain, Friday evening in Nice (9:05 p.m.), the Tarnais advance with balls, to bring down the reigning French champion.
In view of their season, the prognosis is rather logical: surprise leader of the regular season, a first in the history of the club, ahead of Montpellier and Bordeaux, the tenth budget of the championship qualified directly for the semi-finals. The Stadium, he finished 4e.
“If they want to pass themselves off as little ones, it will be complicatedproclaims Ugo Mola, the manager of the Rouge et Noir, in a press conference. The facts are there, they finished first. They are also the first in terms of character and state of mind. »
“We have already said everything, read everything and written everything about this great team (Toulouse Stadium) . She is threatening in all areas of the game.retorted his Castres counterpart Pierre-Henri Broncan in the columns of the Olympic noon .
The tone of this derby was set. “Castres still finished first in the season, it’s the first time it’s happened to them… I know they hate it when people say they’re favourites, that they like to be Tom Thumb, and so on. is their strength, but I would still say that they are 55% favourites”smiles Marc Andreu (2009-2013), former CO winger, and French champion with the club in 2013.
Here are four reasons that prove why the balance tips (rather) in favor of Castres.
1. A “seasonal beast” for the CO
Let’s start at the beginning, and the regular season of Castres. The CO are the only team undefeated at home this season, and have even offered themselves the luxury of five successes away from home. Moreover, to rewind the memory of a defeat to Pierre-Fabre in the Top 14, we must go back to December 22, 2020, against Brive (24-25), i.e. for 21 matches. A remarkable series of invincibility at home, to which must be added their second part of the season. The CO indeed finished best team of the return phase, with 39 points scored.
Above all, unlike a lot of leaders, Bordeaux in the front line (not directly qualified for the semi-finals, although present in the Top 2 since the fifth day), but also Toulouse, La Rochelle or Montpellier, Castres did not experience a hole of air during this exercise.
“They must have a good management of their groupexplains Marc Andreu. There may be a luck parameter, with less injuries than other teams too, but above all it means that the staff manages really well. This is what allowed them to achieve a very positive feedback phase. »
Stepping forward in that first-time team leader costume could, perhaps, get their legs tangled up. “As it’s a first, they may not know how to approach itunderlines the former winger. This is a parameter that Toulouse can take into account, their experience with the novelty for Castres, a negative parameter on their shoulders. Afterwards, Anthony (Dupont) may as well make the first non-match of his life (laughs) ! »
2. High efficiency in the game
Next to Toulouse and his flamboyant game, led to perfection by his scrum half Antoine Dupont, that of Castres therefore seems paler.
“The Castres game is very pragmatic, they always do the same thing, but they do it to perfectionpraises Marc Andreu. It’s not a Toulouse-style game, but there is a lot of rigor in their game system. The players adhere to the coach’s vision (Pierre-Henri Broncan, arrived in 2020), they appreciate it, and it shows. »
The CO is not spectacular, but has a certain notion of efficiency: the training thus ended 6e best attack in the championship (34 tries, 319 points scored), and only 11e best defense, while finishing first in the championship. This illustrates a team not brilliant in one area, but effective in the essential areas of play (touch, scrum and defense).
“At the CO, all players are equal, and if we swap one or two, the quality of play remains the same”adds Andreu.
The Castres could even count on their joker card: the Argentinian Benjamín Urdapilleta, fifth best scorer in the Top 14, with 197 points for 18 games played (the first, the Lyonnais Léo Berdeu scored 251, but played 22 games), and sixth top scorer (182 points).
“At CO, if we have a strong person, it’s Urdapilleta, because he’s the one who organizes, puts the game in place”, slice Marc Andreu. The Fijians, led by their leader Filipo Naikosi (also Cocagi, Botitu), are also an important added value of this workforce.
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3. Cooler than Toulouse?
Another advantage, it seems, for the CO: Castres will be cooler than Toulouse, which had to go through a barrage last week, against La Rochelle (33-28), to get its ticket to Nice.
Facing the Maritimes, the Toulouse have also left feathers, since the third line wing François Cros came out on injury, touched the knee, and the right pillar Paul Mallez injured his shoulder.
Unstoppable argument? “It can work both ways.shade Marc Andreu. In 2013 (CO is sacred) we win against Clermont (beaten 9-25 in half) , having played a play-off, while ASM had directly qualified for the semi-finals. Yes, we will have a freshness asset, but Toulouse was able to test new things and get in touch with one more game. »
Over the whole season, Castres has certainly “suffered” less than Toulouse: the CO stopped in the round of 16 of the Challenge Cup (returned from the Champions Cup), when the Stade finished its journey in the semi-finals, after an epic quarter-final battle against Munster (24-24, 4-2 on penalties).
The fatigue caused during the season will certainly be greater among the partners of Antoine Dupont, than among those of Mathieu Babillot, also more in demand with the Blues than their Tarn rivals (ten internationals in Toulouse).
“From the point of view of a team in form at the moment, Toulouse is coming back strongcounterbalances Marc Andreu. When they are on certain players, we see that they are rather irresistible. »
4. A “small” with great values of the oval
If Toulouse is the most starred club in Europe (5) and in France (21 titles), Castres is not to be outdone in the Top 14. With five coronations in total (1949, 1950, 1993), including two out of the ten years (2013 and 2018), the OC has already proven in the (recent) past that it knows how to win. Over the decade, only Toulouse has achieved the same (two crowns in 2019 and 2021).
However, Castres is only the tenth budget of the Top 14. “The city must have 30,000 inhabitants, 60,000 in the agglomeration… it’s not even a district of Toulouse! », laughs Marc Andreu. But that is precisely where its strength lies.
“What there is in Castres, and which has never changed, is the group they have, the environmentsay hello to Marc Andreu. People immediately fit into the Castres mold and the values carried by the club, the city, the region. Everyone is behind the CO, it’s a real little family. These values are multiplied in Castres. »
In 2018, the CO had already created a surprise: crowned champion, after their victory in the final against Montpellier (29-13), having finished the regular phase… in sixth place. This semi-final against Toulouse could well be another.
Team compositions
The XV of Toulouse. Ramos – Mallia, Fouyssac, Ahki, Lebel – Ntamack (o), Dupont (m) – Elstadt, Tolofua, Jelonch – Ri. Arnold, Ro. Arnold – Faumuina, Marchand (cap.), Baille.
The XV of Castres. Dumora – Nakosi, Botitu, Combezou, Palis – Urdapilleta (o), Arata (m) – De Crespigny, Ben Nicholas, Babillot (cap.) – Staniforth, Vanverberghe – Hounkpatin, Barlot, Walcker.