Festive evening at Ernest Wallon where Stade Toulousain strolled against a team from Montpellier who dreamed of starting their championship with two victories against the two finalists of the Top 14 last season. Winner of La Rochelle last week, the MHR did not see the light of day on Sunday evening against Toulouse (38-13), at the end of the second day. After their inaugural defeat against Bayonne, the Toulouse team really launched their season, scoring six tries.
Toulouse launches its season. The Stadium strolled for its reunion with its public. From the inaugural whistle, Ugo Mola’s men set up a hellish pace. In a few minutes, the offensive game that we know from Stade Toulousain was put in place to allow in just six minutes to send Mathis Lebel behind the line (5-0, 6th) following a good movement collective between Roumat and Germain, continued by Paul Costes. Behind, nothing stopped and the Montpellier residents were surprised by the initiative of Guillaume Cramont who quickly played a penalty to also score (12-0, 14th) when his staff wanted the three points. “Combinations yet studied” breathed Montpellier captain Alexandre Bécognée at the break, but Toulouse was stronger. Like a sparkling Sofiane Guitoune for his last career season, he who offered himself a double (19th and 31st) to bring the mark to 26-6. His third try of the season after the one scored last week in Bayonne (26-7 defeat).
Théo Ntamack after the rest went there with his try (31-13, 50th) to get a smile on the face of his brother Romain in the stands. Finally, Toulouse punctuated the affair with a final try, the 6th of the evening for the Stadistes, the work of Pierre-Louis Barassi (38-13, 78th) at the end of an action built by this same Barassi and Arthur Retreat. If the attack made us forget the 17 absentees who left for the World Cup, the defense was very solid, as evidenced by the solidity displayed at the end of the first period to muzzle the Montpellier assaults. Yet in inferiority after the yellow card of Piula Fa’asalele (37th), everything worked for the Toulouse. The only major downside was Baptiste Germain’s visibly serious injury to his right elbow (already strapped), after a tackle on Bécognée (36′), released on a stretcher.
The MHR tried a lot but ran into a wall during the game, lacking realism, the Montpellier residents found themselves above all lacking solutions. The start of the game announced a very complicated evening for Jean-Baptiste Elissalde’s men. Louis Carbonel had the opportunity to bring his team closer to the score after Toulouse’s first try from Lebel, but found himself in check on a penalty which nevertheless seemed to be within his reach. The rest was very complicated and when Montpellier woke up at the end of the first period, even at 15 against 14 Toulouse, the big and solid defense of the locals took over. Carbonel’s two penalties (22nd and 27th) did not change much, nor did Nicolaas Janse Van Rensburg’s try (47th) at the start of the second period.
After its fine entry victory against La Rochelle to start the season, Montpellier fell from a high place in Toulouse before going to challenge the leader of the Top 14 at the end of the first two days, Stade Français (Saturday 5 p.m.). For its part, the band in Mola will go to Oyonnax for a trip there, which is also perilous during the 3rd day (Saturday 3 p.m.).
