TOP 14. Stade Toulousain launches its youngsters into the deep end against La Rochelle before the Sharks

No rest for the brave, but a little for the executives! Stade Toulousain, leader of the Top 14, has decided to give youth a chance this Saturday, January 4 in La Rochelle (9:05 p.m.), for the 14th day of the championship.

A decision motivated by the sequence of meetings and the prospect of the perilous trip to South Africa to challenge the Durban Sharks in the Champions Cup next weekend.

An assumed rejuvenation

Jean Bouilhou, coach of the Toulouse forwards, took the lead:“There was a lot of mutual help between the older players on the team and the younger ones, a lot of support, and the young people were very attentive” This will be a new opportunity for these “players born in the 2000s”as he calls them, to rub shoulders with the elite.

With a majority of executives left to rest, this trip to Deflandre promises to be a real baptism of fire for some. “For some, it will be their first match in the Top 14. It’s a pilgrimage to face a team like La Rochelle,” explains Bouilhou, confident in the ability of young people to take up the challenge.

A changing workforce

If turnover is assumed, absences are also assumed: Antoine Dupont, still convalescing after a flu, should be spared. Naoto Saito, ill this week, will not make the trip either, just like David Ainu'u (shoulder) and Richie Arnold (calf), uncertain.

This match will therefore be an opportunity to see a largely revamped and rejuvenated team at work, with a mix of hopefuls and experienced players to supervise the new generation.

Preparing South Africa

The objective is clear: to give playing time to some, while preserving the vital forces for the clash against the Sharks. This trip to South Africa represents a real challenge for the Rouge et Noir. But before that, we will have to stand up to the Rochelais who are still formidable at home, even with a rejuvenated team.