Stade Toulousain receives La Rochelle this Saturday for a place in the semi-finals of the Top 14. A clash between the last two European champions who also faced each other for the Brennus shield in the final last year. For this sold-out match on Saturday at Ernest-Wallon, the red and black staff line up a typical team. Apart from the absence of Charlie Faumuina (suspended).
Mola: “They amaze me”
Stade Toulousain was able to prepare for this meeting in good conditions with a quiet victory against Biarritz last week which sounded like a rehearsal after a forced break due to the European final. “The three weeks that we have just lived, they surprised me. When you tell yourself that the season is long, that the internationals have played a lot… They beat me all their records, physical, speed, high intensity, etc. They surprise me there. Now, you have to be able to translate this physical capacity into collective play. They have often surprised me, maybe it will be once again. Already, if they play at the level of the quality of their rugby, we will always be a difficult team to beat but that does not mean that we will have won. explains manager Ugo Mola.
The Stade Toulousain remains on six victories in a row against the Rochelais but there is no question of mentioning this statistic with the opener Romain Ntamack. And even less the two finals won against the Maritimes last year:“We don’t think about it anymore. It’s far behind us. It’s a new story, a new season. We would be rather stupid to rethink and use these two matches to motivate ourselves. No player mentioned it this week. We really focused on ourselves and what we have to do.”
The composition
Here is the composition, very classic for the match against Stade Rochelais: Baille, Mauvaka, Aldegheri in front, the Arnold brothers in the second line, the Cros triplet, Jelonch, Elstadt in the third line. Dupont and Ntamack at the hinge, Lebel and Mallia on the wings, Ahki and Fouyssac in the center, Ramos at the back.