the essential
The “red and black”, who host the Londoners this Sunday May 5 at the Stadium (4 p.m.), are eighty minutes from a European final. But in a Stadium which has not hosted a semi-final for 14 years, we will have to lay down sticks of dynamite without burning our fingers. Because the Harlequins attack has already struck twice in France this season.
“Scattered like a puzzle”. Allow us to borrow from the timeless “Tontons flingueurs” this expression which exactly reflects the suffering of the defenses of the clubs opposed to Stade Toulousain and Harlequins, this season in the Champions Cup.
Watch out for offensive machines!
The statistics do not always reflect the truth attributed to them but this time, they have the value of an additional argument: the Toulouse residents scored an average of 6.7 tries and 45.5 points compared to 5.3 and 36.8 for the Harlequins. These are therefore two formidable offensive machines which will oppose each other. But be careful, Harlequins are enjoying this little game and have already buried the illusions of two French clubs on their land: Racing in the group stage (31-28) and Bordeaux-Bègles (42-41) in the quarter-finals.
The first danger for Toulouse residents would therefore be there. Finding yourself drawn into a completely unbridled encounter. Antoine Dupont knows this better than anyone: “We have to be careful not to fall into a rugby hurray. The matches that counted and that we won, it was firstly because we had a very good defense, that “We were rough, we used physical impact.” Indeed, the Stadium has won many matches by annihilating its opponent’s offensive artillery.
Because this Harlequins team is unlike any other English team, there is a second danger constituted by the large victory (47-19) of the Toulouse team at the London Stoop this season in the group stage. What should we remember? Nothing if the people of Toulouse do not want to be overconfident then combined with the spirit of revenge of the English.
This is also the only defeat for the Londoners this season in the Champions Cup. Therefore, the gap seems too big to be true. “The score was very favorable to us, but it does not really reflect the level of this team, which has some pretty incredible individuals. It has recovered players since and will be very vengeful,” warns Alexandre Roumat.
The danger is there, that’s for sure. But Stade Toulousain is moving in the direction of history. Certainly, this group has only participated in one European Cup final in recent seasons but its presence each time in the last four testifies to the form of confidence that he can display today. Especially in a Stadium – however small it may be – which will not fail to be incandescent while the other semi-finals have been lost away, including three against Leinster.
Because Stade Toulousain is on a mission: aim for London to try to get a sixth star, an absolute record for the event.
The trend: Toulouse 60% – Harlequins 40%
DSAS
