Antoine Dupont didn’t even need to put his name on the scoreboard. The Stade Toulouse internationals can join the Blues with peace of mind for the November tests after the improved victory over Toulon (57-5), Sunday at the Stadium at the end of the eighth day of Top 14, with a hat-trick from Ange Capuozzo .
Since Friday, the giant machines of a demonic urban spectacle – minotaur, spider and scorpion woman – have been wandering the streets of the Pink City in order to open the door to darkness. Giants of French rugby for several seasons, the Toulouse and their own “machine” Dupont got into tune by putting their visitors through hell, at least in the second act. Winners with the offensive bonus (8 tries to 1), they regain control of the ranking with one point ahead of Bordeaux-Bègles, which had temporarily dispossessed them the day before.
With this fourth defeat in eight matches, the Toulonnais remain in fifth place, already ten lengths behind their tormentor of the evening. This gala match in a sold-out Stadium (33,000 spectators) took a long time to start between the two best defenses in the championship, with too many inaccuracies on the Toulouse side despite perfect conditions.
Triple Capuozzo
The light came from the Argentinian Juan Cruz Mallia, opportunistic behind a good scrum from his forwards (19th). Aligned at the opening in the absence of Romain Ntamack, injured in a calf, he scored a double in the second period thanks to a sharp interval hold (55th). Italian international winger Ange Capuozzo did even better and confirmed his very good disposition with three corner tries (28th, 42nd and 75th), which brings his total to five this season.
Coming into play in the 49th minute in place of Jack Willis, third row Anthony Jelonch twice proved right (51st and 60th) to the Blues coach Fabien Galthié for having called him up for the autumn tests, just a few weeks after his return to competition. Called up for the first time by the Blues this week, young second row Joshua Brennan also tried out at the very end of the match.
Without their scrum half Baptiste Serin, injured in the ribs, nor their third row Charles Ollivon, spared, the RCT will only have maintained a semblance of suspense just before the break thanks to their hooker Gianmarco Lucchesi on a carried ball. Even if 11 of its players go up to Marcoussis on Monday, Toulouse will still have one Top 14 match to play next weekend before the international break, in Bayonne, surprising third.
