Toulouse imposes its cold realism on Brive in a one-sided match
Toulouse perfectly assumed its status as leader of the Top 14 on Brive soil on Saturday (45-7) after a one-way opening match of the 7th day marked first by the visitor’s efficiency before a control game total after the break.
Full of points and confidence on the Toulouse side despite the early ankle injury of international back Melvyn Jaminet, to be compared with the breakdown on the Brive side for the second time in a row after the severe 47-0 brought back last weekend of Toulon, such is the outcome of the meeting.
Apart from the touch and the melee in sequences, Ugo Mola’s men have mastered everything, yielding only once a minute from the end on a try from Sammy Arnold, the Irish center of a worrying CAB.
Before that, the reds and blacks showed an insolent realism to widen the gap in two stages during a first act finally balanced, with a lot of reversals. And as often, it was Antoine Dupont who unlocked the counter by overtaking Thomas Laranjeira after a kick to follow… by Anthony Jelonch arising from a confused action (14).
Before the break, the Australian Richie Arnold doubled the Toulouse capital by intercepting a pass from the Irishman Stuart Olding, before spinning between the posts (14-0).
The Corréziens seemed weighed down by these two strokes of fate on the return from the locker room, no longer managing to worry about a stadium sure of its rugby and clinic thanks to a drop from Thomas Ramos (56) before the debates turned to the after demonstration the hour of play with incisive entrants.
Julien Marchand served high Thibaud Flament for a winning run over 15 meters (61), then Arthur Retière escaped in a “Dupontesque” style (73) before the opportunist Matthis Lebel took the Toulouse mark to 38- 0 one minute later, the third visitor try of the day at zero passes.
After the test for the honor of Sammy Arnold, Toulouse wanted to finish on a high note, Retière crossing the Brive line for the sixth time.