winner in Toulon, Stade Rochelais will meet Toulouse in the semi-finals

Impressive in their serenity, mastery, then self-sacrifice against Toulon (34-29), on Saturday, the Rochelais joined Toulouse in the last four of the championship.

There will be a new Toulouse-La Rochelle in the final stages of the Top 14. Already opposed in the final of the championship last year, the two teams will meet again on Friday June 21 at Matmut Atlantique in Bordeaux, this time at the semi-final stage. To qualify, the Rochelais achieved the feat of winning at the Stade Mayol in Toulon (34-29), at the end of an evening where they first exploited the errors of the Rouge et Noir, before controlling their subject in the second period, helped by the solid performances of Antoine Hastoy and Oscar Jégou, and by a remarkable collective strength.

For a long time, however, the visitors accumulated mistakes, leaving it to Melvyn Jaminet to string together the points at the foot (15 to 5/5 against the poles), supported by a strong tailwind. They can even consider themselves lucky to have returned to the locker room without having conceded a yellow card for indiscipline. But, sometimes too playful or not pragmatic enough, the locals also conceded three avoidable tries by Antoine Hastoy (9th), Dillyn Leyds (30th) and Jules Favre (38th), which allowed the Rochelais to do much better than resist: reach the break leading the score (15-24).

Pierre Mignoni’s players failed to turn the tide of the match after returning from the locker room. Largely dominated in all sectors of play in the first quarter of an hour, they first conceded a penalty to the Maritimes, before conceding a try following a penalty missed by La Rochelle, then recovered by Oscar Jégou (46th) to make the score 34-15. Stunned, RC Toulon could not find a solution to the La Rochelle defense, despite possession in its favor and numerous incursions into the opposing 22 meters. It took successive yellow cards from Will Skelton and Judicaël Cancoriet, which resulted in a penalty try, for Toulon to finally score a try in this match, ten minutes from the end of the match, Jack Singleton scoring another at the siren.

It is difficult to highlight the individualities of this match, as it is collectively that the caravel club held its course, tackling with all its might (161/180 in the exercise). Toulon also held the ball 61% of the time. But if La Rochelle escaped at the height of the storm, it was because Antoine Hastoy and Oscar Jégou decided to take control of their destiny.

Coming back lacking confidence from a failed World Cup with the French XV, put in competition by the emergence of Hugo Reus in the club, the former Pau opener did not have an easy season. Against Toulon, he certainly recited his best score of the year, at the best of times. Author of a solid 6/7 on the foot, he also used his leg in the running game. Author of the Maritimes’ first try, he then showed himself to be altruistic, offering the second to Dillyn Leyds, before crossing on the third. Paradoxically, his only missed kick of the match was decisive, the ball landing in the hands of Oscar Jégou.

U20 world champion last summerthe 21-year-old third row saw his progress slowed down at the start of the season. Caught by a positive test to cocaine, then suspended for a month, the young Rochelais saw the horizon darken. Holder during the first three days of the championship, he did not play again until the fifteenth, subsequently leaving the group only once in the last 13 games of the year. At Mayol, he was involved in his team’s second try, launching the action with a chistera then finding himself in support almost 60 meters further. On the third, it is he who lifts the ball to Antoine Hastoy, before finishing the Rochelais’ fourth try as a trickster. Involved in three of his team’s achievements, he also shined in the primary role of the third line, making 20 tackles for no misses.