Toulouse dominates Munster and will face the Bulls in 8th
Already qualified before the match, Toulouse made sure to play their round of 16 at home, against the South African Bulls, thanks to their victory on Sunday against the Irish of Munster (20-16). Insufficient however to afford the first place of the hen.
Privileged to play after the others, the Toulouse knew exactly what they had to do to dislodge La Rochelle from the top of Group B of the Champions Cup: win with the offensive bonus and by at least eleven points difference.
The contract was not fulfilled, with only one try, while first place might have cleared their horizons by ensuring that they would eventually receive until the semi-finals. It would also have allowed them to avoid until the final the scarecrow of the competition and first of the other pool, Leinster, which had made them fall into the last four last year (40-17).
No offensive bonus or first place in the group for Toulouse
The five-time European champions had arrived at this stage of the competition exhausted by their trips to Ireland to successively face Ulster and Munster, already. They were keen to spare themselves such an obstacle course this time and this will be partially the case with home matches until the quarterfinals thanks to their clear rounds in the pool, with two successes against the English of Sale and two against to the Munstermen.
On the way out in December in the fog of Limerick, Stade Toulouse, exemplary in the fight, had taken the Irish to their own game (18-13). In the advance on each impact, he put the same level of commitment at the start of the match on Sunday, rewarded by a try from the Argentinian international Juan Cruz Mallia, an impeccable finisher, after a marvelous skipped pass from Pita Ahki, also rare than precious (8-0, 8th).
Ugo Mola’s players then fell into a false rhythm and the two tries of the third line John Hodnett (31st) and the second line Tadgh Beirne (50th) cooled the public of Ernest-Wallon, who was already , with a temperature close to zero. The hopes of offensive bonuses were quickly forgotten. Helpless and clumsy, the Haut-Garonne have already had a lot of trouble winning, thanks to the foot of Melvyn Jaminet (15 points to 5 out of 6 success).
The international back and a dozen of his teammates will join Capbreton, in the Landes, on Monday to prepare for the Six Nations Tournament with the XV of France. They will quickly find (February 11) several of their opponents of the day. This time with a green jersey.