By Sébastien Vau
Published 3 hours ago, Updated 3 hours ago
Antoine Dupont showed his class against Bayonne. AFP / LIONEL BONAVENTURE / AFP / LIONEL BONAVENTURE
Stade Toulousain won on Saturday evening at home against Aviron Bayonnais (46-26) during the 14th day of the Top 14. Find the highlights and flops of the match.
TOPS
Antoine Dupont magic
New masterclass from the Toulouse prodigy. The latter, who, for the second time this season, was started at the opening this Saturday evening during the improved victory against Bayonne (46-26), splashed the Ernest-Wallon lawn with his magic. The position is not the same but the class is still the same for the French international. Author of a superb chistera for Pita Ahki’s try in the 25th minute of play, Dupont also signed a festival in the last minutes. At the initiative of Toulouse’s last two tries of the match, the native of Lannemezan was first decisive with his foot before carrying out an action of which he alone has the secret for the final try of Juan Cruz Mallia, synonymous with an offensive bonus , reviewing the entire Bayonne defense. Life will be more difficult for Ugo Mola’s team without the tricolor prodigy, who played his last meeting with the Rouge et Noir before joining the French sevens rugby team, until mid-March …
Read alsoTop 14: Toulouse takes on Bayonne and even the bonus at the last second
Stade Toulousain co-leader
Thanks to this improved victory in the final moments, the Rouge et Noir are back at the top of the Top 14. After a difficult start to the season, the French champions are now in second place in the ranking, tied on points with the leader , the Stade Français.
Bayonne’s audacity…
Faced with the Toulouse ogre, certainly deprived of several internationals (nine, including seven French), Aviron Bayonnais did not stand out, far from it. The score and the last two tries from Stade Toulouse in quick succession in the last seconds of the match seem cruel. Gregory Patat’s men played hard throughout the match and were able to react well after a chaotic start to the match. The Ciel et Blanc leave Ernest Wallon having scored 4 tries but without any defensive bonus.
FLOPS
Weighed down by clumsiness…
Despite their desire and their enthusiasm, the Bayonnais showed themselves to be inconsistent and clumsy at times, notably with a lot of lost balls and forwards in conquest and on offensive sequences (13). That’s far too many cartridges wasted to win in Toulouse.
Toulouse’s defense on alternating current
Despite the improved victory with a very great Antoine Dupont, Stade Toulousain was not on cloud nine this Saturday evening. Far from there. As soon as the Bayonnais offered some play and did not stupidly make mistakes, the Toulouse defense was in difficulty. The latter, certainly weighed down by the absence of its internationals, conceded 4 tries and showed a lot of generosity and an apathetic attitude on certain actions.
Bayonne (still) can’t do it away
Again. As soon as Aviron Bayonnais is far from its lair of Jean-Dauger, the result is the same. The Sky and White are still cursed on the outside. By losing to Stade Toulousain, Gregory Patat’s players were unable to break their downward spiral. The latter have not won away from home for over a year. Their last victory away from their bases dates back to November 5, 2022 in Clermont. It’s been a long time…
