the essential
The Toulouse people did not deliver their best copy, far from it, in the semi-final against the Rochelais on Friday June 21 (39-23). But they know how to be more pragmatic and efficient when it comes to seeking titles.
We call it the culture of winning. At Stade Toulousain, it is written in the DNA and no one knows how to do it as well as the Toulouse team when it comes to turning a match on to the right side whatever the conditions, the scenarios…
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However, Friday June 21 in the evening, in the corridors of Matmut Atlantique in Bordeaux, despite qualifying for the 30th championship final in the history of the club, a victory with 39 points and 5 tries (against La Rochelle), this n t was not necessarily the satisfaction that reigned in the Toulouse ranks. The fault lies with a copy which was far from satisfying staff and players.
“A lot of things were difficult, setting up our game because we had difficulty playing three times, and then we were a little more undisciplined than normal,” underlined Romain Ntamack, followed in his comments by his teammate Alexandre Roumat: “Indeed, it was quite a complicated match as you could see for many reasons. La Rochelle is a great team fundamentally.”
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But the Stadistes, aware of their “shortcomings” during this semi-final, quickly shifted towards the essential: victory and qualification. “It wasn’t the most successful match we’ll say but the most important thing is to be in the final”, insists Alexandre Roumat, while Romain Ntamack adds: “We had planned things with ambitions in the game but we didn’t We couldn’t put them in place because of their good defense. We tried to produce some play, we didn’t succeed so we will only remember the result.”
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On the last steps leading to the Brennus, the most daring and spectacular team in the Top 14 knows how to get to the point and be satisfied with what allows you to build a track record: winning, period. “We don’t play very well in the final stages even if we manage to win. I don’t think the finals are our best matches every time,” recalls Romain Ntamack. “The main thing in these playoff matches is victory and nothing else.”
“The possibility of doing something great”
But the supporters and followers of the “red and black” are so fond of a beautiful game that the expectation is high in the stands and the players are aware of it. Alexandre Roumat agrees: “Obviously, given what we were able to produce, particularly in the European Cup final where the intensity was incredible, where there were phases of play and volume of play during 100 minutes at full speed And when we see the result this evening (Friday, Editor’s note), it may seem a little frustrating to watch or to experience from the inside but I repeat, the important thing was to have a good time. one more round.”
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Here is the Stadium at the dawn of a new final which could lead to a new Europe-Championship double after that of 2021, which would be unprecedented. “We are going to concentrate on this final and we will do the accounts at the end but we are giving ourselves the possibility of doing something big with this generation which marks the history of its club a little more each year”, admits Romain Ntamack before to conclude: “Two doubles, we’ll try not to think about it too much. But it’s certain, it’s one in the back of our minds.”
