Stade français, winner of Toulon on Saturday during the 26th and final day of the regular phase, qualified for the semi-finals of the Top 14, of which La Rochelle and the miraculous Racing 92 will both play the play-offs on next weekend.
Paris, life in pink
Long at the top of the rankings, Stade Français finally finished in second place, but it will happily settle for that since it offers it a direct place in the last four. A first since its 2015 title. The Parisians barely won their unofficial “quarter-final” at Jean-Bouin against Toulon (23-20) and will be resting next week while the Varois, fourth, will go through the play-off box . The RCT, which remained on six victories in seven matches, will host La Rochelle in front of its lively Mayol crowd for its big return to the final phase, six years later.
Miraculous Racing, cruel for Castres
On alternating current throughout the season, Stade Rochelais, finalist last year, is still alive thanks to its home victory in the evening’s shock against Racing (24-19). The return to competition of scrum half Tawera Kerr-Barlow, author of a try, comes at the right time for the maritime club, fifth, who will therefore have to win in Toulon to join Toulouse in the semi-final.
Deprived of its international scrum half Nolann Le Garrec, whose season is over, Racing almost missed the final phase for the first time since its return to the elite in 2009. The Hauts-de-Seine club snatched sixth place thanks to a defensive bonus point and a try on the wire from Maxime Baudonne, transformed by Tristan Tedder.
A cruel outcome for Castres, seventh, who thought they had done what was necessary by winning under the deluge of Bayonne (28-17) after a failed first period. Perpignan also paid for its poor start to the match in Pau (36-24), where New Zealand second row Sam Whitelock concluded his immense career in fine style with a try at the very end of the match.
The UBB in its garden
Unsurprisingly winner, with bonus, of Oyonnax (40-7), already condemned to relegation, Bordeaux-Bègles, third, offered itself a play-off at home. The Girondins will host Racing before perhaps a new home match since the semi-finals will take place at Matmut Atlantique in Bordeaux on June 21 and 22. It will perhaps be without their fly half Matthieu Jalibert, visibly injured in the left thigh, while winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey was forced to withdraw at the last minute.
Clermont, which had only a tiny hope of qualifying, finished on a good note in front of its audience with a large victory against Montpellier (52-15) and qualified, thanks to its eighth place, for the next Champions Cup, with Castres. The MHR, penultimate, will play for its maintenance in the Top 14 next Sunday during a play-off in Grenoble, beaten by Vannes (16-9) on Saturday in the Pro D2 final.
READ ALSO. IN IMAGES, IN PICTURES. In Toulouse, images of the crazy feat of RC Vannes, Pro D2 champion
With a largely reshuffled team, Stade Toulouse, already assured of finishing in the lead, lost to Lyon (40-28) in a match without stakes. A success for the honor for the Lyonnais, eleventh, whose scrum half Baptiste Couilloud, top scorer in the championship, scored his 17th try of the season.
The results of the 26th and final day
Clermont – Montpellier: 52-15
Bayonne – Castres : 17-28
Bordeaux-Bègles – Oyonnax: 40-7
Lyon – Toulouse: 40-28
Pau – Perpignan: 36-24
French Stadium – Toulon: 23-20
La Rochelle – Racing 92: 24-19
