Toulouse – La Rochelle: this last decision where Mr.Raynal chose not to choose

Toulouse and The Rochelle engaged in an epic duel (31-31) Sunday at the end of the 25th day of Top 14. A match with a crazy scenario, which the very overhauled team of the recent European champion was very close to losing before snatching a draw less than two minutes from the end of the match thanks to the second personal try of Lucas Tauzin.

A score of parity which however did not please the two teams, who sought the KO. Then came this very last sequence after the siren. The Rochelais snatch the ball from Toulouse on a maul carried near the halfway line and launch the attack. In the center of the field, Jonathan Danty is stopped high by Piula Fa’asalele and holds his face as he falls.

Referee Mathieu Raynal lets it play, Ange Capuozzo grabs it, hits it far in front but falls in contact with Ihaia West, before Antoine Hastoy hits a dead ball. The players then gather around the man with the whistle, who knows that he will have two situations to review and a decision to make.

No foul play on either side for Raynal

On the first, Fa’asalele’s arm hits Danty’s nose. “I don’t see any foul play,” says Raynal. We have a ball carrier who is lowering, the 5 (Fa’asalele, editor’s note) is clearly lowered. It’s the white that comes on the player’s shoulder. »

La Rochelle will therefore not have the penalty of winning, just over 40 meters in front of the poles. The other situation, where West bends over and pushes his rear back to oppose Capuozzo? “I don’t see any clear foul play, the player doesn’t move,” estimates the official who will put away his whistle at the end of the season. One everywhere, ball in the center.

“There are two contentious decisions at the end… I think it’s better that it ends like that,” Toulouse fullback Thomas Ramos smiled afterwards at the Canal+ microphone.

Not yet qualified, La Rochelle will have to secure its place in the play-off on the last day against Racing 92, which remains under threat from Perpignan and Castres who have four points less.

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