“Do you remember a team that sank like that in the Top 14 final, as was the case for Bordeaux-Bègles?
No. There was a 40-13 in 2006 when Biarritz outclassed Toulouse, but it was not such a significant defeat. This one, in Marseille, is unique in the history of the French Championship.
What made the UBB break down like this?
It was still a bit predictable insofar as Toulouse lines up exceptional players, where Toulouse is uninhibited in the game. It was an almost impossible mountain to climb. I think the Bordeaux players knew what awaited them and they ruminated on it for a week.
In which areas did Stade Toulousain begin to build its victory?
On the defensive side. When you see Bordeaux’s initial intentions and the Toulouse defence is aggressive and impenetrable, like in the Champions Cup final against Leinster (22-31), the die is cast. Especially since there was a player opposite, Matthieu Jalibert, who was playing on one leg and was not performing as usual, who was not as creative and decisive as he usually is. This contrast removed the uncertainties.
“The UBB? A lack of confidence from the collective because we do not field two injured players for a match of this importance without sending a negative message to the rest of the team”
With Mauvaka’s try on a bad Bordeaux throw (20th), that of Dupont after a close escape and a lob (23rd): is the opportunism of the Toulouse residents their trademark?
No not necessarily. We saw Toulouse recover balls and counterattack. This is their usual background. They also played on foot to occupy the field but above all, they know how to feed off opposing mistakes. And mainly Bordeaux indiscipline. Before letting go and enjoying the slightest brief.
Such indiscipline, especially in the first period (six fouls called), demonstrates the lack of experience of a newcomer in the final?
Yes, there was stress among the Bordeaux team, but whatever people say, there was a lack of confidence in the team because you don’t field two injured players (Matthieu Jalibert and Ben Tameifuna) for a match of this importance without sending a negative message to the rest of the team. This nervousness is contagious from the moment two players who are not at one hundred percent of their fitness are fielded on the pitch… We don’t measure the importance of what this creates in the collective unconscious of a team. It’s demeaning…
How do you explain that the UBB gave up in the last twenty minutes?
There are only 80% of successful tackles on the Bordeaux side, indeed, but the players were cooked, physically and mentally. Opposite, Stade Toulousain has rotated more than fifty players this season, with targeted starts and senior players left to rest. While UBB had to field its typical team almost every time to battle and qualify. The Bordelais left some energy there and this energy was lacking at the end of the match. These last twenty minutes were too much for them: this is where the score grows as their nerves give way.
Can this record score devalue this 23rd Toulouse title?
Good question. We will remember the score but not the content of this one-sided match, because Toulouse did not just win the final: they won the season.
