2023-12-11 17:32:24
Mixed fortunes for French clubs during the first day of the Champions Cup. State of play before the second round next weekend.
UBB and Toulouse shine without opposition
The Bordeaux-Bègles Union immediately met the expectations placed on it. Carried by a three-quarter line of “Galactics” (Jalibert, Penaud, Moefana, Bielle-Biarrey), the Girondin club struck a big blow on the yet hostile lawn of Connacht (5-41). Yannick Bru’s players scored six tries against the Irish and can approach the rest of the competition with confidence. This Saturday (4:15 p.m.), they host the Bristol Bears for confirmation, in a match that promises to be focused on the offensive. Distrustful, however, the English managed to overthrow at the last minute (thanks to a drop) the LOU in a match which seemed to escape them (36-34). A success would clear UBB’s path to the round of 16 before hosting Saracens in mid-January.
Read alsoChampions Cup: in video, the summary of Toulouse’s big victory against Cardiff
Beware of Toulouse residents affected in their pride. Some criticisms on the game produced, others aimed directly at Antoine Dupont, for a clear and flawless response. Cardiff did not exist against the red-and-black whirlwind and a twirling Dupont (7 passes after contact). “We were the first to be frustrated in our last matches, to feel that we were far from our potential. There was the desire to let go, to play fair,” savored the scrum-half. However, it must be recognized that the adversary was more of a foil than a real danger. The confrontation, next Sunday in London against Marcus Smith’s Harlequins, fans of an all-out offensive game, will allow us to learn more about the psychological recovery of the French internationals from Stade Toulousain, strongly affected by the failure of the French XV at the World Cup.
Toulon, Racing 92 and La Rochelle already with their backs to the wall
In this ultra-tight group formula, every point will count. And starting the competition with a defeat at home immediately puts the teams in great difficulty. The first day caused great damage with the setbacks conceded, in their den, by Rugby Club Toulonnais against Exeter, Racing 92 against Harlequins and Stade Rochelais beaten by Leinster. Now these three teams have no room for error. And the second round will prove to be crucial, especially since this time we will have to seek a result away. In a most hostile context. The RCT will have to get a result on the pitch of Northampton, which did not miss its debut by winning in Glasgow (19-28).
Read alsoChampions Cup: maximum pressure on Racing 92 after its entry hiccup
The Racingmen, after their disillusionment with Harlequins with their impressive offensive efficiency, are condemned to the feat in Belfast against Ulster who fell in Bath (37-14). It’s a double or nothing match for the two teams, who could see their Champions Cup run end on the second day. The 92 club will have to resolve its serious defensive problems if it wants to hope for anything. For its part, Stade Rochelais, double reigning champion, seriously complicated its task by falling to Marcel-Deflandre against Leinster (9-16). On Saturday, Ronan O’Gara’s players were condemned to the feat against the Cape Stormers, who were beaten at Leicester (35-26). A colossal challenge: the South African provinces, since their integration into the competition last year, have never lost at home…
Lyon and Bayonne: a shot to play
For its big debut in the Champions Cup, Aviron Bayonnais produced one of the best performances of the weekend by snatching a draw (17-17) at Thomond Park, the Munster venue. A tour de force knowing that Grégory Patat and his staff had decided to field a reshuffled team (notably without Camille Lopez), but which faced a great European crowned in 2006 and 2008. The arrival, Friday evening ( 9 p.m.), from Glasgow to Jean-Dauger could allow the Basques to confirm and continue to believe in qualifying for the round of 16. It remains to be seen whether Bayonne, a surprise team last season (8th), will play the game to the fullest (before going to Northampton) or favor remaining in the Top 14. Which would be understandable for a team (currently 12th) which is only playing his second season in the elite.
The disillusionment is great for Lyon. The Rhone residents – without several executives like Baptiste Couilloud or Romain Taofifenua – in fact lost to the wire in Bristol (36-34). They surely thought they had done the hardest part by coming back to score and even taking the lead in the 77th minute thanks to a try from center Alfred Parisien, but Callum Sheedy came to dampen their hopes by slamming in a drop after the siren. Cruel. LOU nevertheless leaves with two bonus points, offensive and defensive, which allows them to stay alive for qualification. The Lyonnais will have to restart on Saturday (6:30 p.m.) against the Pretoria Bulls. Distrust: the South Africans, who reached the round of 16 last year (defeat in Toulouse 33-9), dominated the Saracens in the opening and will surely want to mark the occasion. But LOU knows the Bulls well having dominated them last year at Gerland (31-7). Again?
Access the slideshow (10)
The English hit hard
The economic difficulties of English professional rugby – three clubs in bankruptcy (Wasps, London Irish, Worcester), a championship reduced to ten teams – led certain French managers to believe that the representatives of the Premiership were going to suffer in the Champions Cup. The denial was scathing. Seven victories for only one defeat (Saracens in South Africa, beaten by the Bulls 27-16). And, in the Franco-English confrontations, a ruthless 4-0. London Harlequins and Exeter came to win in France, respectively against Racing and Toulon. Sale, leader of the English championship, clearly dominated Stade Français 28 to 5. Only LOU held off the shock, only losing to Bristol with a killer drop four minutes after the end of regulation time (36-34). But the Lyonnais bring back a double bonus (offensive and defensive) from England. A lesser evil.
Read alsoChampions Cup: 11 tries, a fatal drop, the video summary of the spectacular Bristol-Lyon
Will the second round confirm this comeback of English rugby, confidence reassured after the third place of the England XV during the recent World Cup? Toulon goes to Northampton, Bordeaux-Bègles receives Bristol, Toulouse travels to London to play Harlequins and Stade Français welcomes Leicester Tigers. Four duels again. It’s up to French clubs to avoid going out again fanny…
The French club program:
Friday
21h, Northampton-Toulon
21h, Bayonne-Glasgow
SATURDAY
14h, Stormers-La Rochelle
16h15, UBB-Bristol
18h30, Lyon-Bulls
21h, Ulster-Racing
Sunday
16h15, Harlequins-Toulouse
6:30 p.m., Stade Français-Leicester
”
data-script=”
>
#fanfare #debut #dangerous #failures #race.. #results #day