After being affected by several cases of Covid, the French champion is recovering several of his best elements, who should have been with the XV of France, to challenge Racing 92 this Saturday.
For many years, Stade Toulousain has been used to composing without its internationals during international windows. During these famous “duplicates” specific to rugby and inconceivable for other sports. The Haut-Garonne club is historically the biggest supplier of players for the XV of France. For the reception of Racing 92 this Saturday, Ugo Mola and his staff should have done without many of his best elements. Except that the Covid has been there and reshuffled the cards.
Read alsoTop 14: return of Antoine Dupont after a month and a half without playing
Last week, no less than ten stadium players tested positive, leading to the loss on green of the Champions Cup match against the Welsh side of Cardiff. Among these positive players were scrum half Antoine Dupont, opener Romain Ntamack, third lines François Cros and Anthony Jelonch, as well as prop Cyril Baille and hooker Peato Mauvaka. All had to give up the internship of the XV of France in Cassis, in the south of France, alongside the Foreign Legion.
We know each other, we are a group of 40 players. We’ve been playing together for several years. That won’t be an excuse for this weekend
Sofiane Guitoune
But, again negative, several internationals will be on deck to challenge Racing. Among them, the staff of the Rouge et Noir will be able to count on their star scrum half, Antoine Dupont, who had not played since December 11. But also on the opener Romain Ntamack and the pillar Cyril Baille, holders against the Ile-de-France, as well as on the third line Anthony Jelonch, who will start on the bench of substitutes. So many reinforcements which, normally, should have been with Fabien Galthié and the Blues in the south of France. True, there are still players missing, but the bad effect of the “duplicate” will be well mitigated.
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Before the announcement of the team for Saturday, Jean Bouilhou, the forwards coach, had been optimistic about the return of certain executives. “We hope that everyone will be able to play this game. We did not necessarily count on them and it is a little balm to the heart to say that we will be able to count on some.“But the center Sofiane Guitoune had recalled, also before the announcement of the team composition, that the strength of the club champion of France and Europe in title lies in the richness of its workforce. “In terms of collective benchmarks, the team remains the same. There were no departures… We know each other, we are a group of 40 players. We’ve been playing together for several years. That won’t be an excuse for this weekend, he underlines. The disadvantage is the state of form, the physique, knowing how we are going to hold on.»
You know, in Toulouse, whether there is Pierre, Paul or Jacques…
Laurent Travers
On the side of the Racingmen, mistrust was necessarily in order. If the Ile-de-France residents have passed the group stage of the Champions Cup without incident, they are in bad shape in the Top 14, only eighth, six points behind sixth, Stade Rochelais. Their last victory against Clermont at the Arena (33-28) certainly put an end to a black series of four losses in a row. But the Hauts-de-Seine club cannot afford to drop points in the race for the first six places. The trip to Ernest-Wallon, which moreover faces a well-reinforced stadium, looks dangerous.
Especially since Racing has not won in Toulouse since 2017 and it remains on four defeats in the Pink City. “We know this Toulouse team. We are not going to worry about Toulouse, we will above all remain focused on Racing, to play the best game possible and perform well. Afterwards, I don’t worry, there will be a very good team from Toulouse opposite“, had warned the Ile-de-France manager Laurent Travers who is wary of the Red and Black, whatever the team aligned. And joking:You know, in Toulouse, whether there is Pierre, Paul or Jacques…“In this case, there will be this Saturday Antoine, Romain, Cyril and Anthony…
