“As an organized group, no one can channel us.” The Marseille hit resounded into the night at the Vélodrome stadium. As a symbol of the robbery carried out on French and European rugby by this gang of young Toulouse residents who seem more and more invincible. Friday evening in Marseille, Antoine Dupont’s teammates made short work of Union Bordeaux-Bègles (59-3), in the Top 14 final.
A record victory and one more trophy in the Toulouse cupboard which is already overflowing with 23 Brennus and 6 European Cups. On this long list, 4 French champion titles (2019, 2021, 2023 and 2024) and 2 European champions (2021 and 2024) are already to the credit of the Dupont-Ntamack generation.
Six trophies in five years
This shows the importance in the history of the club, and of French rugby, of this golden generation, which emerged in 2019, also with Julien Marchand, Thomas Ramos, Cyril Baille and François Cros, to put Toulouse back at the top after 7 years without title. By winning a 6th trophy in 5 years, Dupont & co have entered the history of their club a little further. “It’s a group in search of records, of exploits,” greets their manager Ugo Mola, admiringly. They want to be first in everything, that drives them. And when they commit, they achieve their intentions. They have never disappointed. »
To the point that the Top 14 will seem a little narrow to them. Yannick Bru, the manager of a UBB humiliated for its first final, measures the difference that separates Toulouse from the rest of the world. “Even their best young people have at international level, they are a locomotive in the Top 14, with their team one, their team two, their team 3…”.
Sufficiently armed, with their current talents and others who are growing, the Toulousains will remain the favorites of the Top 14 for some time. And it is to the future and to the former glorious generations of Toulousains that they will now measure themselves. “This generation wants to make history in its sport, confirms Ugo Mola. They are well on their way, but there is still a little missing.”
Objective 4 consecutive titles, like in the 1990s
President Didier Lacroix has already mentioned the idea of going for four consecutive titles, like the 1990 generation – his own. “Of course the objective will be the same at the start of the school year, to reach the finals and the title in the Top 14, in the Champions Cup. It’s true that the 1990 generation had set the bar very high, we’re going to try to draw inspiration from it,” admits Romain Ntamack, son of Émile, one of the strong men of that era. Will the son surpass the father?
With these two doubles and these 4 shields in 5 years, the Dupont-Ntamack are perhaps already the best generation in the history of the club. “It’s not for me to say. We’ll take stock when we finish our careers. But what is certain is that we are still coached by guys who have won a little more than us. We’re getting closer, but I can’t wait to tickle them even closer. » Ramos thinks of Clément Poitrenaud or Jean Bouilhou, members of the Toulouse staff. “Clément really likes to remember the trophies he has won. We’ll be able to put a piece on him this evening,” he smiles.
Individually, the Toulouse fullback did more than just tickle the previous generation. With 1,792 points, he became the club’s all-time leading scorer on Friday night, ahead of Jean-Baptiste Elissalde. Another record for this generation that always wants more. “When you see the generation we have, the average age we have, I’m sure this group is not going to stop there,” says Thomas Ramos. The opponents have been warned. The Toulouse ogre is not satisfied.
