Exacerbated in recent years by their ” hand to hand “ in the Champions Cup, the rivalry in the Top 14 between La Rochelle, still in search of its first Brennus Shield, and Toulouse, which has 22 championship crowns, transformed the meeting between these two clubs into “classic”.
For the third international line of Stade Toulouse François Cros, it is in any case “a recurring duel in the final stages for several seasons”.
“We’re starting to get to know each other well”he estimates in an interview with AFP. “We have to push the intensity and strategy sliders each time to be able to maneuver this team. »
Since La Rochelle’s return to the Top 14 at the end of the 2013-14 season, the club chaired by Vincent Merling has played 24 matches in the league against Stade Toulouse, its opponent in the semi-final on Friday (8:15 p.m.) in Bordeaux, for fifteen victories for the Rouge et Noir, eight for the Maritimes and a draw (31-31) during their last confrontation on June 2.
La Rochelle’s Irish manager Ronan O’Gara on June 2, 2024 at the Ernest-Wallon stadium during the last confrontation against Toulouse in the Top 14 before the semi-final. The two teams neutralized each other 31-31, the only draw in 24 championship duels (15 victories for Toulouse, 8 for the Maritimes) / Valentine CHAPUIS / AFP/Archives
This match at the Stadium, in the form of a crossover, well summed up the rivalry between these two clubs in recent seasons.
So, if they recently shared the trophies in the Champions Cup (2021 and 2024 for Toulouse, 2022 and 2023 for La Rochelle), in the championship, it is the Toulouse people who always win in the end. Until now anyway.
Black beast ?
Since 2019, against the club from the pink city, Ronan O’Gara’s men have lost twice in the Top 14 final (18-8 in 2021 and 29-26 in 2023), and two other times in the final. final (20-6 in the semi in 2019, 33-28 in the play-off in 2022).
So, pet peeve or not?
A question brushed aside as usual with provocation by the Irish manager of the Maritimes who, at the end of the match against Toulon in the play-offs (34-29), reminded the press: “I have a lot of respect for Stade Toulouse but, last season, we were better than them in the final for 78 minutes…”
Not false.
Toulouse’s Romain Ntamack’s winning try in the Top 14 final against La Rochelle on June 17, 2023 at the Stade de France / JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP/Archives
Because until Romain Ntamack’s fantastic 65-meter ride, followed by a broken tackle, a few “smoke” in good standing and with a dive into the goal, the Rochelais held their match firmly and already saw themselves brandishing their first Shield.
Mistrust therefore for Antoine Dupont’s teammates because Stade Rochelais, emboldened in recent years by its double in the European Cup, has progressed considerably in its “culture of winning” so specific to Toulouse.
Progress particularly visible at the Mayol stadium where Antoine Hastoy’s teammates, more pragmatic than their Toulon opponents, managed to overcome possible excitement due to the stakes to achieve their second victory of the season only away, in a yet hostile atmosphere.
So why not a third Friday in Bordeaux? This is what the captain of the Caravelle club, Grégory Alldritt, hopes in any case, who confided that the objective of his teammates and him was to “come forward with our weapons, our strategy and give 100% to try to bring out the perfect match”.
Before adding, referring to the half of 2019 which saw Toulouse win 20 to 6: “Maybe it will be lucky for us to face Toulouse in the semi-final this time? »
