Champions Cup – Notes from Stade français – Northampton: Macalou as a UFO, Gabrillagues as usual

The tops

Substitute at kick-off of the matchthe international third row made a thunderous entrance, bringing gas to a ghostly team during the first 20 minutes of the match. First, he proved valuable in the Parisian alignment by stealing two important munitions from the English at Northampton (55^e et 63^e). Then, he was decisive on Yoan Tanga’s second try. It was he who broke away from the middle of a cluster of Saints players to advance for around ten meters before the game rebounded and ended in the in-goal (58^e). Overall, he was in all the right places.

• Paul Gabrillagues: 7/10

As always, the Parisian captain showed his partners the way forward. Present in close combat, he has multiplied the tasks in the ruck zones. He was also credited with ten tackles in this hyper-offensive encounter. He even gave himself a little personal pleasure by scoring a try in the second half, at the height of Parisian domination. For all his work, he was elected man of the match.

The flops

In a match focused on the offensive, the Stadion fly-half struggled to impose himself. His choices have not always been relevant. The length of his kicking game rarely allowed the Parisians to put pressure on his opponent. Facing the poles, he also missed two transformations. Note, however, that in the second half, he was much more incisive. Like his team.

Interesting during his first start just before New Year’s Eve against Stade Toulouse, the former Montpellier player failed to confirm. Behind sometimes slow rucks, he failed to revitalize or set up effective restarts of play. His kicking game also sometimes lacked efficiency. He was replaced at half-time by Brad Weber who was able to liven up his playing area more and be decisive.