The shot was rectified and the Stade Français resumed its cruising speed. Beaten on the wire in Bayonne last week (29-26), the club of the capital dominated Montpellier without too many worries (27-17), this Saturday, at the Jean-Bouin stadium. The Parisians, however, took time to enter the match. Too passive and disorderly, they suffered the first blows from the reigning French champions.
Pierced on 60 meters, the players of Gonzalo Quesada let scrum half Cobus Reinach (10th) then rear Anthony Bouthier (14th) infiltrate their in-goal. Trailing 0-14 in less than a quarter of an hour, Paul Gabrillagues and his teammates seemed set for a complicated afternoon. But the Stade Français version 2022-2023 has nothing to do with the hesitant and feverish team of the previous season. Under the eyes of Rai, the Brazilian legend of PSG, the capital club displayed its new claims in two steps.
No bonus this time
A try from the Argentinian third line Marcos Kremer in force on a penalty touch (28th), two penalties from the opener Joris Segonds (40th, 43rd) and a try from the South African center Jérémy Ward (20-14, 45th) on a counter – attack smoothly conducted over more than 60 meters completely changed the fate of a match that we will soon forget. Philippe Saint-André’s players are not for nothing ejected from the first six qualifying places for the final phase. In deficit of power, clumsy as soon as the game gets a little carried away, the Héraultais have multiplied the bland outings since the start of the season and are moving towards serious disillusions.
Quite the opposite of the Parisians, inflated with self-confidence, reassured by an iron defense and kings of bonus hunters. They didn’t pick up an extra point this time, but the try from prop Paul Alo-Emile (68′) ensuring they won the game was enough to make them happy. The Toulouse dolphin in the standings has not yet been dislodged.
Dots
Stade Français: 3 tries from Kremer (28th), Ward (45th), Alo-Emile (68th), 3 transformations from Segonds, 2 penalties from Segonds (40th, 43rd).
Montpellier: 2 tries from Reinach (10th), Bouthier (14th), 2 conversions from Carbonel (10th), Bouthier (14th), 1 penalty from Carbonel (66th).