Stade Toulousain – MHR: Toulouse jostled, Montpellier misses the opportunity to win
Top 14/16th day. Toulouse ended up breaking the Montpellier lock, strong for 50 minutes.
Yes the Toulouse stadium has an XXL workforce. Yes, Stade Toulousain a team ready for duplicates. At the same time, it is better. When nine players are summoned. Yes, Juan Cruz Mallia is an excellent player. No doubt about it. But the Argentinian, repositioned at the opening and lost on the field (two missed penalties and a transformation, a direct touch, inaccuracies), is not Romain Ntamack.
Just like Martin Page-Relo is not Antoine Dupont. Even if the Rouge et Noir looked great in their lair of Ernest-Wallon on Sunday evening, which has also been untouched for a year in Top 14when a HRM shows up on their lawn with this face, the absence of the internationals is sorely felt. Except that this face, the Montpellier residents only held it for 50 minutes…
The Bench Kick
Because until then, when a Zach Mercer multiplies these arabesques, a Yacouba Camara imposes itself as the spearhead of his pack, Ugo Mola is probably thinking of his Julien Marchand, Anthony Jelonch, Thomas Ralos or Thibaut Flament stayed in Capbreton with the XV of France. Then the Stade manager is reassured by looking at his bench. Seeing Emmanuel Meafou (2.03m, 150kg), François Cros and Jack Willis warming up in the in-goal is as comforting as a tub of ice cream on a romantic breakup night.
So, faced with the helplessness of his proteges, the manager brought in his three behemoths a bit earlier than expected (46th). Their return relieved an entire team and breathed new life into the pack of forwards, hitherto jostled by the Héraultais.
A player in the match: Camara left feathers
It is no coincidence that Yacouba Camara is one of the most used players in the Top 14 this season (15 starts in 16 days). the captain of the MHR once again shown the extent of his immense abilities.
Indispensable in touch where he was the most requested jumper of the game (six takes and one against). We have also seen him offer himself permanently in the current game, opening up breaches and weighing on the Toulouse defense. Defensively, he also gave of himself, going so far as to sacrifice himself in a final tackle which earned him a limping exit (57th).
An ultimate sacrifice since the captain of the MHR injured in the knee will have to undergo examinations to find out the seriousness of his injury. But he will miss the Blues stadium, and probably much more. A real blow. L.C-.L.
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And the Montpellier in all of that ? Until the fiftieth minute, everything was going pretty well. They were in front (3-9). The conquest was good. The intentions were enthusiastic and the duels rather to their advantage. Then one mistake led to another. A qualifier resulted in a yellow card, then a second. Despite their investment, the dynamic is reversed. And defending at 13 opens up spaces for the opponent. A treat for Toulouse mopeds.
Dominated, the champions of France nevertheless had the opportunity to rejoin with the boot of Louis Carbonel (3/6) and Louis Foursans (0/1) but their attempts fled the poles. Frustrating. Especially since this Toulouse seemed predictable. But as often, in the end, Toulouse wins.
The game
Toulouse 23 – 9 Montpellier
Ernest Wallon Stadium.
Half time: 3-9.
Referee: Nic Berry (AUS).
Spectators: 18,500.
For Toulouse: 3 tries Cramont (55th), Capuozzo (66th, 77th); 1 transformation Mallia (56th); 2 penalized Mallia (37th, 62nd).
For Montpelier: 3 penalized Carbonel (5th, 34th, 40th+1).
Yellow cards in Montpellier: Serfontein (53rd), Darmon (61st).
TOULOUSE: Capuozzo – A. Retière (Chocobares 66th), Delibes, Ahki, Lebel – (o) Mallia (E. Retière 78th), (m) Page-Relo (A. Retière 74th)- Elstadt (Cros 47th), Tolofua (Placines 60th ), Placines (c) (Willis 47th) – Arnold, Brennan (Meafou 47th) – Aldegheri (Ai’nu 63rd), Cramont (Boubilat 72nd), Neti (Duprat 68th).
MONTPELLIER: Bouthier (Ngandebe 68th) – Tisseron, Darmon (Lucas 78th), Serfontein, Bridge – (o) Carbonel (Foursans 68th), (m) Reinach (Bouthier 78th) – Becognée, Mercer, Tauleigne – Stooke (Chalureau 48th), Camara ( c) (Doumenc 57th)- Lamositele (Thomas 62nd), Giudicelli (Langdon 59th), Forletta (Chauvac 59th).