Aurélie Sacchelli, Media365, published on Saturday January 11, 2025 at 8:31 p.m.
Stade Français won 45-35 against Northampton and opened its points counter in the Champions Cup, after a crazy match where the Parisians were trailing 0-21.
What a match for Jean-Bouin! Stade Français went through all the emotions, but ended up winning 45-35 against Northampton! In this match between the penultimate of the Top 14 against the penultimate of the English championship, who are not aiming for much in the Champions Cup this season, the Parisians completely missed their start to the match, in the cold of the capital (1°c). They conceded three tries in 17 minutes! It was first Tom Lockett, in the 11th, who headed into the goal after a very good collective action started following a Parisian touch and concluded strongly by the second line (0-7). Four minutes later, it was Henry Pollock, not yet 20 years old and expected at the next 6 Nations Tournament, who rewarded a lot of playing time from Northampton by scoring in the right corner (0-14). The third line even scored a double two minutes later, scoring alone between the posts after recovering a ball in the Parisian hands in the center of the field (0-21). It is then difficult to imagine a victory for Stade Français. And yet! The Pink Soldiers finally came out of their torpor and in turn scored three tries! It was first Peniasi Dakuwaqa, in the 22nd minute, who reduced the gap in the right corner after some upwind play and a nice recovery from Louis Foursans-Bourdette (5-21). Then eight minutes later, JJ van der Mescht intercepted a kick from Rory Hutchinson in the center of the field and went alone under the posts (12-21). And after the siren, Yoan Tanga went for his try, on a carried ball. At halftime, Stade Français was back at 19-21!
Paris has gone wild!
But the second period started badly for the Parisians, who conceded another try, by Henry Walker, upwind (19-28). This had the gift of waking them up, once again, since they then signed an offensive festival, with four tries scored! It was first a penalty try after a carried ball (26-28), action for which the Englishman Alex Mitchell received a yellow card. Samuel Ezeala took the opportunity to put Stade Français in the lead on the scoreboard for the first time this crazy evening, after a lot of work from Sekou Macalou (31-28). Tanga then offered his second try, upwind (38-28), and Mitchell had barely returned to the pitch when Josh Kemeny received a yellow card in his turn. Paul Gabrillagues also took the opportunity to add to the score after a touch and a carried ball (45-28). Curtis Langdon’s try three minutes from time for Northampton will remain anecdotal (45-35). It is indeed a fairly improbable five-point victory for Stade Français, which finally opens its counter in group 3. Qualification for the round of 16 remains possible, with a final match against the bottom side, the Bulls. And Paris had finally launched its season?
