After a very sad first period, the Toulouse team moved forward against the uninspired Montpellier team (27-17). The Stadistes temporarily regain the lead in the ranking, but forget the offensive bonus.
They believed it for half-time. Winning in Toulouse and silencing the offensive cavalry of the reigning French and European champion. No small feat! For forty minutes, this Saturday, January 25, the Montpellier residents were in fact in the midst of an exploit, under a deluge of rain. In the wake of a very good series of seven consecutive victories, they finally came up against Toulouse's revival in the second half.
Montpellier, an iron defense
Because in the first act, the Stadistes did not live up to their usual standing. The weather conditions did not help their movement game, the reds and blacks chose to offload the ball, at the feet, with candles from Mallia in particular. Judicious strategy in the rain, but strategy countered by the good defensive withdrawal and the assurance in the air of Bouthier and Hogg. Without the ball, Montpellier resists well.
And even did better than resist, putting the locals under pressure, with excellent defense. Toulouse does not cross and the MHR comes very close to the perfect shot, after having the score on a penalty (13th, 0-3). Just before halftime, the Cistes thought they had scored the first try of the game. Upon receiving a candle, Uelese and Delibes fight. Neither manages to catch the ball, which rolls into the 22 meters of the Stadium. As a savior, Neti grabs it and looks for support behind him, but his pass finds the hands of Nouchi, who finishes his race in the goal. The try is refused for a fault in the aerial duel. The referee finally whistles for half-time with a very small score of 0-3.
-Toulouse finally true to its DNA
After returning from the locker room, Stade Toulouse changed its method. First of all, after being scolded by Ugo Mola for a penalty against the posts not attempted in the first period, Mallia took the points on the first Hérault mistake (45th, 3-3). Then, in the process, Graou quickly plays a penalty, in his 22 meters. He crosses the field and benefits from the support of Willis, in the opposite 22 meters. Following the ruck, Capuozzo found Delibes at the foot, alone on his wing (46th, 10-3). In two minutes, Toulouse has just done what it had not done in the first forty: take easy points and play its rugby. After a new penalty from Mallia (58th, 13-3), a new restart from the in-goal sends Kinghorn behind the line (65th, 20-3) and a tumble from Epée which offers the double to Delibes offers the point of offensive bonus to a liberated team (72nd, 27-3).
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