Paris is no longer able to do so far from its bases, and is beginning to pay for it. Beaten away for the third time in a row in the Top 14, Stade Français leaves a second place occupied since Christmas and its resounding victory (10-48) in the derby against Racing 92. After Perpignan then Bayonne, it is this time Toulon who applied themselves to knocking the Parisians away from the capital on Saturday evening. And not halfway. The consequence of a dynamic at half mast and errors that disappeared at the start of 2023, sanctioned by the heaviest defeat of the season.
Reinforced by Julien Delbouis and Sekou Macalou back from Marcoussis, Paris nevertheless attacked his trip to the Var well. Two penalties from the RCT in the first five minutes, two kicks from Joris Segond. A 0-6 to take Toulon by the throat, before investigating the errors, sanctioned by the Red and Black almost surprised by so much generosity.
Three weeks of truce before the derby
Too often confined to his camp, Paris plunged for the first time for a quarter of an hour, with a hole left to Baptiste Serin, at the start of an action concluded by Duncan Paia’aua (14th). With an improbable jump pass from his pillar Paul Alo-Emile to offer the second try to Cheslin Kolbe (27th). And again with a very hot alert (29th), more than enough to pester Gonzalo Quesada at the Canal + microphone in front of the “gifts” of his players.
The Stade Français never managed to recover from this air hole. Did he recover midway through the second half? Yes, but without scoring anything other than the nine points from the foot of Segonds in the first twenty minutes. Symbol of his impotence: these sequences in the 22 meters Toulon around the hour of play, never materialized to get back in the game before sinking with two new tries in the last minutes. A very small match for the Parisians before the break dedicated to the end of the Six Nations Tournament. Three weeks to recover in view of the rematch of the derby in Jean-Bouin.
TOULON – FRENCH STADIUM: 37-9
Half-time: 20-9
Toulon : attempts by Paia’aua (14th), Kolbe (27th), penalty (72nd), Du Preez (78th); Hall penalties (23rd, 34th, 46th); transformations of Rooms (15th, 28th, 38th)
French Stadium: Segonds penalties (3rd, 5th, 20th)