The suspense only lasted a few seconds. Or maybe not even. Big favorites in this Top 14 final, Stade Toulouse easily won this Friday against Union Bordeaux-Bègles (59-3), and won its second consecutive French championship title. Unstoppable from the start of the match at the Vélodrome in the wake of a gala Antoine Dupont performance, the Toulouse team rounded off an impressive season perfectly.
3
For the third time in its history, Stade Toulousain has achieved the Champions Cup-Top 14 double. This was already the case in 1996, when the Red and Blacks beat Brive in the French Championship final and Cardiff in the European Cup final. In 2021, they achieved this feat again by dominating Stade Rochelais in two final matches. This year, they stunned the Irish province of Leinster at the end of a heroic match that ended in extra time, including several successful penalties from Thomas Ramos.
10
Since 2008, and the Champions Cup final lost by Stade Toulousain of Maxime Médard, Yannick Jauzion, Thierry Dusautoir, Fabien Pelous & co, the Toulousains have never again failed on the last step before the grail. This success against UBB is the tenth in as many finals since that date. The Stadistes thus won the Champions Cup in 2010, 2021 and 2024, and the Top 14 in 2008, 2011, 2012, 2019, 2021, 2023 and 2024. An incredible series.
23
In the French Championship, Toulouse now has 23 titles. They continue to take off in the French Championship rankings, now relegating Stade Français to nine lengths. The Rouge et Noir’s first title dates back to 1912, when they beat the Racing club of France. Five other titles followed until 1927, before Stade Toulouse became dominant again in the 1980s, with three Brennus Shields between 1985 and 1989, then thirteen since 1994. They have, however, lost seven times in the final.
56
The Toulousains have truly atomized the Bordeaux team. With a 56-point gap, they even set a new record in a Top 14 final. The previous one dates back to 1900, when Racing Club de France beat… Stade Bordelais with a 34-point gap (37-3). More recently, in 2006, Stade Toulousain was beaten by Biarritz Olympique (40-13).
117
With today’s nine tries, Toulouse have scored 117 tries during the season. This Friday evening, it was Antoine Dupont who was the most realistic with two tries scored, one in force from the 6th minute then another, very agile, in the 23rd minute. Peato Mauvaka also flattened the ball in the goal, as did Thomas Ramos (twice), Julien Marchand, Blair Kinghorn, David Ainu’u and Ange Capuozzo. In 28 matches, these 117 tries represent an average of more than four tries per match. Simply astonishing.
