The Toulouse arrived in Belfast 6 points behind and a well-stocked nurse. This Saturday, April 16, at 9 p.m., Stade Toulousain played in the den of the Irish of Ulster, the Kingspan Stadium. After an untenable suspense and by dint of pragmatism, the Reds and Blacks managed to win 23 to 30.
A qualification in the quarter-finals of the Champions Cup really narrowly torn off: since the cumulative scores of these round of 16 round-trip results in a 49 to 50, in favor of Stade Toulousain.
3 tries from Toulouse and 2 from Ireland
The game was unbearable in Belfast. From the second minute, Thomas Ramos succeeds a penalty, opening the score of this meeting. The back who then scored Toulouse’s first try in the 22nd minute, before a masterful escape from Romain Ntamack, in the 27th minute. Irish side, Ethan McIlroy had first flattened in the 11th minute before planting a second, just before halftime.
17 to 20 for Stade Toulousain at the break. The total of the two matches then amounted to 43-40 in favor of Ulster. The second half was unbearable before the Toulouse were delivered in the 75th minute by a superb try from Antoine Dupont.
Throughout the match, Toulouse fought against this lead that the Irish had had since the first leg. Last week, Saturday April 9, Ugo Mola’s men lost at home 20-26 against the same team. Stade Toulousain played most of the match 14 against 15 after the red card, picked up in the 11th minute by Juan Cruz Mallia. A lead that they managed to overtake since at the final whistle, it was Toulouse who were leading by 7 points, opening the doors to the quarter-finals for the Stade.
The infirmary is full at the Stade Toulousain: Cyril Baille, François Cros, Zack Holmes, Sofiane Guitoune, Alban Placines or even Santiago Chocobares are not there.