While Ugo Mola did not reserve any surprises for the Top 14 final, reworking his team to compensate for injuries, Yannick Bru can finally count on Ben Tameifuna and Matthieu Jalibert, initially announced as forfeits.
Neti, only change for Toulouse
Ugo Mola changes almost nothing. Compared to the team that overcame La Rochelle last weekend in the semi-finals, Stade Toulousain is making only one forced change. Victim of a ruptured ligament in his left ankle and a fractured fibula that required an operation, Cyril Baille gives up his place as left pillar to Rodrigue Neti. As a result, Joel Merkler appears on the scoresheet, among the substitutes. A bench on which Matthis Lebel will not take a seat. With a back injury, the three-quarter center withdrew from this final, which allowed Ange Capuozzo to join the group. Piula Faasalele also had to give up the duel against Bordeaux-Bègles, with Clément Vergé replacing him among the 23 players called up. The rest of the starting XV for this final is classic
with the Antoine Dupont-Romain Ntamack hinge or Thomas Ramos aligned at the back, which pushes Blair Kinghorn onto a wing.
Toulouse’s starting XV
Ramos – Mallia, Chocobares, Ahki, Kinghorn – (o) Ntamack, (m) Dupont (cap) – Willis, Roumat, Cros – Flament, Arnold – Aldegheri, Mauvaka, Neti
The replacements: Marchand, Ainu’u, Vergé, Brennan, Graou, Capuozzo, Costes, Merkler
Jalibert and… Tameifuna start for Bordeaux-Bègles
For his part, Yannick Bru pulled two jokers out of his sleeve. Announced as having withdrawn from this final at the start of the week by Jean-Baptiste Poux due to a dislocated right shoulder, Ben Tameifuna is finally on the scoresheet and even starts on the front line alongside Maxime Lamothe and Jefferson Poirot. Concerning Matthieu Jalibert, the test carried out this Thursday also proved conclusive. While his season was initially supposed to be over after the thigh injury suffered three weeks ago, the international fly-half has recovered at high speed and will be Maxime Lucu’s alter-ego at hinge level. While the three-quarters do not change from the success against Stade Français Paris in the semi-finals, Mahamadou Diaby replaces Pierre Bochaton in the third row
The starting XV of Bordeaux-Bègles
Buros – Penaud, Depoortère, Moefana, Bielle-Biarrey – (o) Jalibert, (m) Lucu (cap) – Diaby, Tatafu, Vergnes-Taillefer – Coleman, Cazeaux – Tameifuna, Lamothe, Poirot
The replacements: Maynadier, Boniface, Douglas, Bochaton, Samu, Abadie, Uberti, Taufa
