A Franco-French semi-final of anthology, brilliant revenge, and forums on fire: the UBB overturned the Toulouse stadium after an unforgettable shock. While England celebrates Northampton’s feat in Ireland, the British media do not forget the spectacle offered in Bordeaux. Small overview of their reactions on this match which marked the spirits on both sides of the English Channel.
After the emotion aroused by the semi-final of Champions Cup Franco-French between the UBB and Toulouse, and so much to tell about a date that will be a date and which saw the Girondins take a magnificent revenge on the Stade Toulousain, it appears interesting to look across the Channel to know what our Anglo-Saxon friends of the second semi-final of the second semi-final. Heroic performance of Northampton in Ireland against the Leinster and the list of Lions for the tour in Australia, announced shortly by Andy Farrell, mainly occupied the media space, after the match, but also on D + 2.
But by seeking well, the analyzes of our British colleagues resurface and all recognize that this UBB-Toulouse had the beauty of the devil. “These two teams who had won 100 % of their matches in the competition, sometimes playing a dream rugby, both demonstrated that this style would be maintained in the breathtaking rhythm of the competition”can we read on the BBC. “In a full-to-crack matmut, France has shown once again that no country practices club rugby better than it, and the players responded to the fervor of their supporters with a first half full of suspense”marvel at James while from Planet Rugby.
The king is dead
After three defeats against Toulouse in the final phase since 2021, the UBB this time took its destiny in hand. “Bordeaux has broken out brilliantly from its label of ‘almost adult’ that he had been wearing in recent seasons, a year after being crushed in the Top 14 final “summarizes the BBC. A success that allows them to get into adulthood. […] The two winners of the semi-finals foiled the forecasts to reach an unexpected final. “
“The king is dead”Ose Planet Rugby, who recognizes, on the other hand, that the title holder fought valiantly and did not give up his trophy so easily. “The Toulouse stadium ended its magnificent reign. […] However, with a list of wounded as long as the Channel Tunnel, which includes superstars of the game like Dupont, Ramos, Kinghorn, Mauvaka and three or four others, the finesse and the attack-of the characteristics of the champions-were simply not at the level they had fixed themselves. The pressure of a long season and the absence of a large number of world class players have deprived them of the cutting edge necessary to unlock the brilliant Bordeaux defense. “ “In this kind of situationcomplete the BBC article, Ugo Mola’s men often find the solution, but not this time, in an insufficient quarter of an hour. “
Matthieu Jalibert’s brilliance
In this part of a rare technical level, several UBB players impressed the English press. Quite logically, we find the opening half Matthieu Jalibert and the supersonic winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey: Gondole heads of a talented and conquering UBB. “The brilliant palette of talents was perfectly taken by the brilliance of Matthieu Jalibert and the pragmatism of Maxime Lucu.”
And inevitably, in a confrontation that saw him face his Roman counterpart Ntamack, the match was won by the number 10 Girondin, as Planet Rugby points out. “He won his individual fight with Romain Ntamack. It was clear that he was motivated for this match. His races and kicks were perfect.“On the other hand, the media is not tender with the holder in the French team: “His team, weakened by injuries, needed him […]but it was too easily overshadowed by the excellent Jalibert. There were some positive moments, […] But he was well below his level for a match of this scale. “
Bielle-Biarrey illuminated the Atlantic Matmut
Finally, how not to talk about Louis Bielle-Biarrey, “petit maestro” and becoming “The best winger on the planet”. The Guardian : “Bielle-Biarrey illuminated the Atlantic Matmut of a moment of genius”. “This is a moment when the whole stadium remained mouth. […] Bielle-Biarrey risks emptying dictionaries in terms of superlatives available this year and, once again, he has created a test that will appear on almost all the videos of the season. “
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