Already a first hitch for the Stade Français in this 2022-2023 season. After a convincing first outing against Clermont (24-18) last weekend, the Parisians traveled to Castres for the second day of the Top 14. And the least we can say is that they were welcomed with manner by Tarnais who got into them from the start of the match to finally win 30 to 20, without forcing their talent.
Julien Dumora perfectly launched the Castres in the meeting by registering a first penalty in the 4th minute against visitors orphaned by Morgan Parra, touched in the knee against Clermont. The finalists of the last Top 14 took action in the wake of this opener, with a try by Geoffrey Palis. Still absent from the subscribers since the kick-off, the Parisians cash a new penalty from the Tarn back which allows his team to lead 13-0 after only 11 minutes of play.
Two Castres tries in quick succession before half-time
Stade Français recovered after a quarter of an hour through Nemo Gunther Roelofse, whose try was validated by video assistance. Joris Segonds transforms to pick up at 13-7 but Dumora answers him tit for tat with a new penalty to continue his clear round on kicks. Segonds, he experiences his first failure in the exercise but is quick to rectify the situation to allow the Parisians to return to six points from Castres just before the half-hour mark.
In the moments that follow, Dumora also suffers his first failure on a kick. Not enough to install doubt in the Castres camp. Adrea Cocagi immediately scored the second Tarn try of the game and was imitated a few seconds later by Vilimoni Botitu. Filipo Nakosi particularly distinguished himself before these two tries in quick succession by distributing two assists. The Parisians return to the locker room with a heavy deficit of 20 points (30-10).
An insufficient start at the start of the second period
They come back with new intentions as evidenced by this double change with the entries of Mathieu De Giovanni and Sekou Macalou. Gonzalo Quesada’s talk at half-time seems to be bearing fruit, since the Parisians are better at the start of the second half and Sefanaia Naivalu materializes this improvement with a second try to return to 30-17 thanks to the transformation of Joris Segonds. But the Stade Français will not be able to capitalize on this burst of pride in the last half hour and with the exception of a final penalty from its opener ten minutes from time, the score will not change.
In the standings, the Parisians are temporarily in eighth place pending the results of the trip from Bordeaux-Bègles to Montpellier this Saturday evening and the clash between Toulouse and Toulon on Sunday. Next weekend, Stade Français will host Bayonne, who won against the other Ile-de-France team in the Top 14, Racing, in the afternoon.
