A dream final between the two best attacks
Guy Accoceberry. It’s really the best final that we could hope for as a rugby fan. We have a final with the two teams who have scored the most tries this season, that looks promising. But I think that the Toulouse residents will be more involved in management. On the other hand, UBB must be crazy at the start of the match and then respond physically as they did very well in the first two matches.
Fabien Pelous. There is a lot of hope around this match but I am not sure that we will have a very lively final. In finals, priority is often given to defense. It’s a duel which will be played out in particular on the power of the forwards and my impression is that Stade Toulousain is superior in this area.
Marc Lièvremont. Compared to what UBB has shown this season, they have earned the right to play their first final. Seeing the two best attacks in the Top 14 oppose each other is delightful. I hope to see a UBB team that will play with its weapons. There would be nothing worse than having regrets after playing small arm without having expressed their many talents.
How to beat the Toulouse ogre?
G. A. La Rochelle showed the way in the semi-final by being solid up front and in defense. I believe that the UBB must take inspiration from this by also using their qualities with their 3⁄4. The Bordelais will be under pressure, there will be big defensive sequences and if they don’t crack, they can make the difference with a dazzling performance from Damian Penaud or their three-quarter line.
F. P. Experience is in favor of Toulouse, it is important for a final. Now the UBB will certainly compensate for that with enthusiasm. The fact that this is a first in the final with a tenfold desire means that Bordeaux has nothing to lose and will have to play hard. But the question is whether the players feel they have already reached the final with this qualification or whether they really believe in this title. I think that in the end, the mix of experience, talent and physical power will make the difference for Toulouse.
M. L. The UBB will have to achieve the perfect match. She will have to give herself the means to seize opportunities because despite the experience of Toulouse, there are match scenarios that could work in their favor. Leaving the ball to Toulouse, spending your time defending and countering exclusively, that would be a form of suicide. You will have to play and produce.
For the UBB, the title will come through the game
G. A. The UBB ¾ line is perhaps even above that of Toulouse. So we will have to dare. I don’t know what Yannick Bru has planned, but I think there are little things to try to put some speed into the game. Madosh Tambwe is a boy who makes quite incredible differences so in a match like that, it’s a gamble that is worth trying.
F. P. The key for UBB will be to try to wrap up the match so that we don’t see too much of Toulouse’s physical power. The UBB will have to keep the ball and play, keep the balls away. They will have to put laterality into the game in order to avoid this power. Then whether they will be able to do it is another question.
M. L. A final is a match apart. On objective criteria everything is going in the direction of Stade Toulousain. But UBB can thwart Toulouse. They have players who are devourers of space capable of achieving exploits with Tambwe, Penaud and Bielle-Biarrey who despite his youth shows consistency, maturity and quite brilliant talent.
A rebalanced duel ahead?
G. A. That’s for sure. Toulouse and its forwards are solid but I think that the UBB forwards have shown in the last two games that they can compete. After the fatigue of the play-off could play on the end of the game and the Bordeaux staff will have to rotate earlier to keep a maximum of freshness. As soon as there is a drop in form, the Toulousains will know how to exploit it.
F. P. Without Cyril Baille and Emmanuel Meafou, Toulouse loses two massive forward profiles who really make a difference so perhaps UBB will be able to compete. But I remain convinced that Stade Toulousain will find the solutions ahead because they have always found them, particularly thanks to the individual quality of their players.
M. L. The strength of Stade Toulousain is their collective. Without Cyril Baille, they are missing one of the best players in the world in this position but they have shown that they have the squad depth to manage that. On the Bordeaux side, they showed that with soldiers and good complementarity, they could compete. They almost tied the game on the basics against Stade Français.
