Fourteenth place: Toulouse in the final stage, La Rochelle almost reached

Various fortunes for European finals: One week ahead of the deadline, La Rochelle crushed the Red Lantern Agen (59-0) on Saturday during the 24th day of the top 14 while Toulouse lost at home to Bayonne (32-28) with a second team. .

Various fortunes for European finals: One week ahead of the deadline, La Rochelle crushed the Red Lantern Agen (59-0) on Saturday during the 24th day of the top 14 while Toulouse lost at home to Bayonne (32-28) with a second team. .

The Toulouse leader, thanks to the defensive bonus point he snatched in the final minutes of the match he started well, remains the first team to qualify for the final stage of the tournament.

Two days after the end of the regular season, an athlete made sure, with 73 points, that he ranked in the top six in the standings, having 11 heights ahead of Francis and Toulon Stadium, sixth and seventh with 62 points.

Relative satisfaction of the Reds and the Blacks, who aim above all to obtain one of the first two places directly qualified for the semi-finals.

As for the trip to Toulon last weekend, which ended in a heavy defeat (44-10), the Toulouse administration is still shunning most of its executives in light of Rouge et Noir’s first continental final since 2010.

With only three or four power holders (Rory Arnold, François Croce, Zach Holmes, Thomas Ramos), the European four-wheelers bowed in the face of Bayonne’s envy in the fight for maintenance.

– La Rochelle, green lights –

The club he will face next Saturday in the final has chosen a different style against Agen, with the start of XV close to the one that should be in line with London’s Twickenham Stadium.

Only Gregory Aldrett, Roman Sazi and Raymond Rolle started playing on the bench, while Fijian strongman Livani Botia, with an ankle injury, was not in the set.

By choking Agen’s red lamp 59-0, with nine attempts, including a duo from South African winger Rhule, who entered during the match, Rochelais put all the lights green.

New Zealand winger Victor Vito sneaks into the middle of Agen’s defense to score an attempt, during their first 14 game, on May 15, 2021 at Marcel Devlander Stadium in La Rochelle

Xavier Liotti – AFP

They calmly resumed the rhythm of the competition before the first European Cup final in their history and almost guaranteed their qualification to the final stage of the tournament, as they temporarily regained second place, which was snatched by Racing 92 after their victory in Bao (35-29). ) On Friday evening.

However, it was time for the season to end for Agen, who was defeated for the 23rd time on several trips this season.

– Castries and Montpellier, end of the series –

If the relegation of the Sudanese Football Association is not in doubt for long, the suspense will remain in the battle to avoid the penultimate position in the barrage, which should fall into the hands of a team from the Pyrenees Atlantique.

Thanks to their surprise victory in Toulouse, Bayonne regained control of Bao, who is now 13th, but only three points separate the two neighbors.

Equally uncertain is the race to qualify for the finals. With two matches delayed, Bordeaux Biggles was in a positive concession after his difficult success, In the Rain, against a direct competitor, Custer (20-16), whose five successive streak came to an end.

Stade Français players delight after their 32-10 win over Montpellier, during their first 14 game at home, on May 15, 2021 at the Jean Bouin stadium.

Anne Christine Boujolat – Agence France-Presse

Stade français and Lyon can still believe in the top six thanks to their victories over Montpellier (32-10) and Brave (24-7), two teams that previously played matches postponed in the middle of the week due to Covid-19.

The series also ended for MHR who maintained eight consecutive victories in all competitions. But the Herault administration has turned a lot in perspective of the European Challenge Final, Friday in London, against English Leicester.

AFP / Toulouse (AFP) / © 2021 AFP