The final stages of the Top 14 begin this weekend with the play-offs. Toulon will host Stade Rochelais on Saturday evening at Mayol. While UBB will host Racing 92 on Sunday in prime time. If the Varois and the Bordelais finished ahead of their respective opponents. And therefore have the advantage of receiving. Uncertainty hangs over these two meetings.
On paper, playing at home represents a huge advantage. At least during the regular phase. We know that traveling teams generally don’t field their best lineup away from home. The context of these cleaver matches does not allow as much freedom. And each side will be at its maximum with the objective of winning.
Your Rugby Toulon/La Rochelle and UBB/Racing 92 matches at what time and on which channel?In this context, the advantage of playing at home is no longer as decisive. And there is no guarantee that the RCT and Bordeaux-Bègles will join Stade Toulousain and Paris in the half. In the past, many visiting teams have defied the odds. The first was Montpellier in 2011 with an 18-17 success on the Castres pitch. The Cistes will also reach the final against Toulouse.
Three years later, the Tarnais also created a surprise away from home by dominating Clermont at Michelin, 22 to 16. The same weekendthe Ile-de-France residents of Racing 92 surprised the Toulouse residents (21-16). The Castres then continued their path in these final stages before falling against the RCT for the title, winner of the Racingmen.
TOP 14. Toulon or La Rochelle, who would be the best opponent for Toulouse in the half?The latter did it again in the play-off in 2017. This time on the Montpellier meadow with a 22-13 success. But they did not make it past the semi-finals. The same goes for the LOU the following year. At the end of a crazy match at Mayol, they took the Toulonnais out of the title race with a victory after extra time which left its mark.
That weekend, the CO took on the great rival of Stade Toulousain (23-11) and then headed towards the title at the expense of the MHR. If going through the dams does not close access to the Brennus. However, this adds one more match to play. And it is sometimes difficult to continue the following week in the half against a rested team. In 2019, the Rochelais beat Racing (13-19) before falling against Toulouse.
TOP 14. Alldritt, Danny, Hastoy… the probable line-up for La Rochelle to defeat Toulon in the barrage!Three years later, in the semi-final, the Rochelais also defeated the Bordelais winners of Lyon at Gerland to secure their place in the final. But they will fall with arms in hand against Stade Toulousain. Which had easily taken the measure of a Racing 92 passed by a jump-off won on Jean-Bouin’s lawn.
In short, if it is possible to win outside in a play-off, we notice that it is then more complicated to remove the clubs which have directly validated their ticket for the semi-finals. Obviously, this is not a general truth. And we can count on qualified clubs to give Toulouse and Parisians a hard time.
