On one side, the European champion behemoth, on the other, the ambitious novices. The Top 14 final scheduled for Friday, June 28 (9 p.m. on France 2 and france.tv) pits Stade Toulousain against Union Bordeaux-Bègles. Due to the organization of the Olympic Games, this final duel of the championship will take place at the Vélodrome in Marseille, rather than at the Stade de France as tradition dictates.
The Toulouse ogre wants to see double
The Toulousains are showing up as regulars. Winner of 22 Brennus in its history, the club from Haute-Garonne can not only retain its title, but also sign a resounding double after winning the Champions Cup in May. This would be the third time in its history, after 1996 and 2021. Ugo Mola’s men are coming in as favorites for this Garonne derby, but be careful not to show the same indiscipline as against the Rochelais in the semi-finals last Friday (39-23).
First final for UBB
Opposite, the Union is in unknown territory. Born in 2006 from the merger between Stade Bordeaux and CA Bègles-Bordeaux, the Gironde club is playing its first Top 14 final, after three consecutive failures in the last four. At home, the Unionists this time resisted in the semi-finals against Stade Français on Saturday (22-20), carried by their pack of forwards, as well as Matthieu Jalibert and pillar Ben Tameifuna, back from injury and starters. To make people forget the frustration of the 2019-2020 season, interrupted by Covid while they dominated the competition, the outsider intends to play a dirty trick on the champion.
Many internationals on the ground
While Fabien Galthié carried out a large squad review for the French XV’s summer tour in South America, most of the French headliners will be lined up in Marseille. Injured Cyril Baille will be missing from the Toulouse side, while Romain Ntamack and Thomas Ramos are available, as is Antoine Dupont, who wants to bring a new trophy into his purse before joining the French Olympic 7s team. Opposite, Maxime Lucu, Damian Penaud or even Louis Bielle-Biarrey will try to ignite the meeting for UBB.