The two leading clubs of recent years have logically won their Top 14 semi-finals this weekend in San Sebastian. They will meet in the final on Saturday in Saint-Denis.
“Rugby is a very fair sport, you get what you deserve”, philosophized the Argentinian winger of Racing 92 Juan Imhoff, Friday at the microphone of Canal +. His team, fifth in the championship, had just drunk the cup against the Toulouse leader (14-41), in the half in San Sebastian (Spain), in a scenario consistent with the destinies of the two teams in the regular season. The next day, the Rochelais dolphin mastered the sixth Bordeaux-Bègles (24-13). As evidence, Toulouse and La Rochelle will meet in the final of the Top 14, Saturday June 17 in Saint-Denis (to follow on France 2 and france.tv).
“First against second, I’m not going to say it makes sense, but it’s a great poster”, euphemised Sébastien Boboul, assistant coach of La Rochelle. Such tweezers were not necessarily necessary, as this final confrontation rewards the two most regular teams of the exercise, with respectively 14 and 11 points ahead of the rest of the basket. The only two of the Top 14 able to shine on the European scene, too, since they have shared the last three European titles. Two providers, too, of 10 of the 15 holders of the Blues during the Six Nations Tournament.
Clearly, the Stade de France will host Saturday “the poster everyone was waiting for”, according to the expression that we kept hearing throughout this Basque weekend. Like Stade Français-Toulouse at the turn of the century or Toulon-Clermont over the last decade, Toulouse-La Rochelle is the great rivalry of the moment. And like any antagonism, it was forged over epic matches. The two Champions Cup and Top 14 finals, gleaned by Toulouse in 2021 (22-17 and 18-8), are undeniably part of it. But since then, the Toulouse giant has not crushed anything, when the Rochelais glutton has swallowed up two Champions Cups. Even if he has never got his hands on the Brennus, he seems much better armed than two years ago.
Toulouse have eliminated La Rochelle in the last three seasons
“What has changed since? The mentalityblew maritime hooker Pierre Bourgarit after the half. When you don’t have the experience, you don’t really know how to apprehend these matches.” In May 2021, in a three-quarters empty and masked Twickenham, the Gersois and his companions indeed discovered the finals. In two years, the Maritimes have “normalized” their success, according to their general manager Pierre Venayre, and you had to see them timidly celebrate their victory against the UBB to be convinced of it.
Except that the caravel club is still fishing against its rival, who eliminated them in the last three final stages. “It’s always quite tense, so we want them”, recognized the Toulousain Thibaut Flament Friday evening. If the wish of the slender second line has been granted, he may have had in mind the eight consecutive victories of his team against La Rochelle (started in September 2020, until January 2023), with an average gap of seven points. Both little, but also substantial enough to create a resentment that will only be mitigated if the Rochelais return the favor to their rival this season. “We play for these kind of matches, we can’t wait to be there”, smiled Bourgarit. Given the enthusiasm generated by this new classic, he is not the only one.