By Louis Mouret
Published yesterday at 11:46 p.m., Updated 1 hour ago
Phenomenal Antoine Dupont, clumsy Thomas Ramos. AFP / PAUL FAITH / AFP / PAUL FAITH
TOPS/FLOPS – Antoine Dupont above everything, the Peato Mauvaka machine, the Toulouse relaxation and the approximations of Thomas Ramos… Find the tops and flops of the crazy match between Ulster and Toulouse (24-48).
TOPS
Antoine Dupont, again and again
Are there still words to talk about the level of Antoine Dupont. Superlatives are lacking when he offers performances like that of this evening against Ulster (48-24 victory). Exceptional, fantastic, magician or perhaps simply: best player in the world. Everyone will have their opinion on the subject but his performance this evening demonstrates why many people give him this rank. Author of a double, he shined throughout the meeting. 173 meters covered with ball in hand and a number of differences made alone. Mind-blowing. Usual for him but never to be trivialized. We know him very well in his role as “Minister of the Interior” but his action on the Roumat test where he literally opened a boulevard for the test suggests the wonders he could achieve during the Olympics in a few years. month. For those who doubted it since the World Cup, Dupont is still one of the best players in the world and he will be greatly missed at Stade Toulousain.
Le phénomène Peato Mauvaka
He too has been simply sensational since the last World Cup. In his familiar profile, he flew through the game both defensively and offensively. Proper in the tackle, he mainly scratched two balls in the rucks. Always present to relieve his partners, he especially illuminated the Kingspan Stadium with his qualities in the running game. Ultra-active, his connection with Dupont sparked. Author of a first try in the pure role of hooker behind a maul, he showed what a modern hooker was on his second achievement where his one-two with his scrum half was enough to set the wind in the wind. Irish defense. The only question that arises after another five-star performance: how Toulouse will be able to continue to evolve with Julien Marchand and this Mauvaka? Good luck to Ugo Mola.
FLOPS
The Toulouse relaxation… without consequences
Toulouse did everything perfectly this evening… but for 60 minutes. After a mixed start to the match marked by some inaccuracies, it is especially the slump between the 60′ and the 70′ which is worth noting. Penalized too many times over this period of time, the Toulouse team let the Irish come back into the match and get closer, giving the impression of having almost voluntarily given up. It was enough for Ulster who knew where to press to hurt Stade Toulousain. Avoidable mistakes and a drop in attention in defense were quickly corrected to ensure a pressure-free end to the game.
Thomas Ramos et ses approximations
He’s not having a bad match. But it did not weigh on the meeting and should not keep an unforgettable memory of it. Established at the opening since Romain Ntamack’s injury and his return from the World Cup, he seemed to doubt his choices and missed transmissions on several occasions, notably during the first minutes of the match. He also missed two conversions. Just not the best evening for Thomas Ramos despite a brilliant inspiration with his foot pass for Matthis Lebel (10′). With the return of Romain Ntamack between now and the end of the season it will be interesting to observe the Toulouse organization taking into account the Kinghorn factor, again very good this evening, who is integrating really well and who will have his say .
