Dupont gives the “la”, ghostly Gailleton… The tops and the flops

Tops

Antoine Dupont distributes the gifts

A week after his big return to the Top 14 pitches where he distinguished himself with a stratospheric entry against Clermont with three tries scored in twelve minutes, Antoine Dupont released a new high-flying performance in Pau. Although he did not score a try, the Olympic rugby sevens champion demonstrated his knowledge of placement with two offerings addressed to Jack Willis (3rd), to conclude a large-scale collective movement, and to Guillaume Cramont (64th) with a chistera on the back of which he has the secret. With 39 meters covered with the ball in hand and four defenders beaten, the Toulouse metronome made the Pau defense dizzy while showing itself to be ruthless in defense (8/8 in tackling). A boss match.

Ange Capuozzo asserts himself in the starting fifteen

Essentially replacing last season, especially during tough matches, Ange Capuzzo is increasingly asserting himself as an integral part of the Haut-Garonne squad. Against Pau, the Italian international beat no less than seven defenders (match record) and covered 82 meters with ball in hand (another match record). His performance could have been crowned with a try after a well-felt interception (52nd) but Sacha Zegueur, who was being treated by a medical assistant in his 22 meters, was able to get up at the last minute and prevent it. While his name was circulating among several Top 14 teams wishing to secure his services, the twirling winger made a strong start to the season and inevitably gained credit in the eyes of the Toulouse staff.

The Toulouse Stadium impresses away from its bases

After Vannes and Montpellier, the Pau Section is already the third team, on the evening of this 7th day, to lose at home against the reigning French champions. Despite a slight rotation marked by the replacement of Juan-Cruz Mallia at the opening or the tenure of the young Léo Banos (22 years old) in the third row, the Stade Toulouse dominated the debates on the Hameau lawn, notably in front where Jack Willis (3rd), Julien Marchand (34th) and Guillaume Cramont (63rd) distinguished themselves with three strong attempts. Without being flamboyant, Ugo Mola’s men can boast of having never been behind and have achieved their first success at Le Hameau since 2020. In the standings, the Rouge et Noir regain the lead in the Top 14 (24 points ), while waiting for Union Bordeaux Bègles to travel to La Rochelle on Sunday evening (9:05 p.m.).

Flops

Émilien Gailleton, a captain with absent subscribers

If his talent is beyond doubt and opened the doors to the French XV, Émilien Gailleton got through his match against Stade Toulouse. On the offensive side, the center struggled to put his team forward (11 meters with the ball in hand) and twice found himself in a defensive tackle. Behind Antoine Dupont, he cannot avoid the attempt of Jack Willis (3rd) who catches the Hameau public cold.

Jon Zabala-Arrieta, symbol of the complicated evening of the Pau scrum

40 minutes and then gone. Against Toulouse, the Spanish international right pillar came out at half-time, without being injured, in favor of Harry Williams. For his first start of the season, Jon Zabala-Arrieta experienced a crux, notably conceding two penalties in a closed scrum and for not getting out of a ruck zone quickly enough. Dominated from start to finish in the confrontation zones, it was more broadly the entire Pau front eight who received a lesson from the French champion. Crippling largesse which caused the Béarnais to concede the first defeat of the season at home.