When Antoine Dupont and Charlie Faumuina, players from Stade Toulousain, raised the shield of Brennus towards the sky of Saint-Denis, Saturday June 17, it was more than a trophy that they presented to their supporters who came by the thousands to the Stade de France. It was the tangible proof, in wood and metal, of what still separates their club, a legend of French rugby, from La Rochelle, their disappointed opponents of the evening.
By registering, with this victory (29-26), for the twenty-second time its name on the trophy which rewards the winner of the French rugby championship, the Toulouse stadium deprived the Rochelais of the first Brennus in their history and of a historic double after their second European title.
Stade Toulousain also cast the same spell on La Rochelle that they had concocted at Leinster, in the European Cup final, winning (27-26) at the last second. “It’s hard to lose this way, but you win two titles like that, you also have to know how to be on the other side”, commented the third row from La Rochelle Grégory Alldritt. And like in Dublin, history seemed written. The La Rochelle forwards had imposed their law and neutralized the Toulouse flights. The Maritimes led by four points with only a handful of seconds remaining. The players in yellow and black began to embrace on the edge of the field, while Toulouse’s final attacks broke on the La Rochelle defense like waves on a stormy day.
“A game lasts 80 minutes. I learned when I played against Toulouse that a game is never over, To recalled, disappointed, the La Rochelle coach, Ronan O’Gara, after the match. Unfortunately, we made a bad decision at the end, but congratulations to Romain Ntamack, what a player! » A bad decision in defense, indeed well helped by the inspiration of Romain Ntamack. After he had just been treated for a long time for a sore shoulder, the opening half of Stade Toulouse and the French team erased in three elegant strides several La Rochelle defenders, who watched him, helpless, spinning head high towards the ‘essay. The Toulouse, after the transformation of Thomas Ramos, were three points ahead and both hands on the shield. “We are carrying out a small robbery”recognized Ugo Mola, the Toulouse coach, at the microphone of Canal +, before confessing “hesitating to go out [Ntamack], almost KO”a few minutes earlier.
A mistake that could have been costly
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