Stade Toulousain failed to reach the Champions Cup or Top 14 final this season. Accustomed to trophies since 2019, Ugo Mola’s men are returning empty-handed this year, after a superb double last year. Not a failed season despite everything according to them.
Lebel: “A lot of clubs would like to play two semi-finals”
Matthis Lebel took the time to look back on this long and exhausting season: “It’s not an average season, you have to put things in context: we came out of a fabulous year last year. We made a lot of people happy. We made a great start to the season, after we had a bad patch with the departure of the internationals but also with postponed matches where you thought you were going to play on Friday. Lots of little moments like that where you tripped over the carpet a bit. Afterwards, there are defeats like in Perpignan or Pau where we shoot ourselves in the foot. We still manage to make two semi-finals, there are many Top 14 clubs who would like to make two semi-finals in the same year. We’ll settle for that and get back to work. The team remains young and perfectible. That’s what’s fun too. There will be new arrivals next season so back to work.”
Stade Toulousain will be able to take advantage of five to six weeks of vacation, except for certain players called up by Fabien Galthié this week to participate in the tour of Japan with the XV of France. The executives of the team will not be on the trip.