Tottenham is not Buckingham but what better place to be crowned king? The majestic showcase of footballers which sits in this northern district of London will distribute its crown this Saturday afternoon, under the open sky. One more star to engrave on his jersey, in a good place, among the others. Of so many others. Whoever wins.
This is the particularity of this daytime final (kick-off at 3:45 p.m.), this titanic clash between two monuments, the two best teams of the moment but also the two finest records on the continent. On one side Stade Toulouse, five Champions Cups in its bag since the creation of the event in 1996 (1996, 2003, 2005, 2010, 2021), on the other Leinster, four titles under its belt (2009, 2011 , 2012, 2018).
Two rugby giants
We could get drunk on figures, signs, or memories, and add that the Irish, beaten in the last two seasons in the final by La Rochelle, therefore a bit crumbly, swept away the Toulouse in their last three clashes, in the semi-finals. final (30-12 in 2019, 40-17 in 2022, 41-22 in 2023)…
“But it was in the semi-final, not in the final, and each time in Dublin, there we will be on neutral ground,” retorts Ugo Mola, the manager, great organizer of this red and black team which did not lose a Champions Cup final since 2008. Statistics to be left in their place, that of cupboards, display cases, trophies magnifying the weight of a past which will no longer exist with the first kick of the ball.
“We can even talk about ideologies at this level”
The present is enchanting enough not to need these trips back into history. What could be more exhilarating than this young Toulouse guard, these gaming geniuses, these mischievous and adventurous kids? What could be more joyful than these flights of Dupont, Ntamack, Costes or Lebel, these kicks from Mauvaka, these charges from Meafou? What could be more impressive than this well-oiled Irish machine, rolling at full speed in indomitable waves and swallowing up almost everything in its path?
“What is interesting is that these two clubs have very strong identities, very different cultures and ways of developing,” says Olivier Magne, former international third row, consultant on RTL. We can even talk about ideologies at this level. »
France against Ireland? On paper perhaps, since these two teams form the backbone of their national selection but not necessarily in spirit. Because if Leinster looks exactly like the XV du Trèfle, Stade Toulouse applies a completely different vision of rugby than the XV de France.
A sort of perpetual movement which occurs in unison, risky of course, but so effective and spectacular when it is mastered as in the quarter-final against Exeter (64-26), or the semi-final against Harlequins ( 38-26). “Toulouse residents are better prepared than in previous years,” underlines Olivier Magne. They rotated their squad more throughout the season. This final is going to be about nothing. » In the breath of a star, no doubt. Under the sun expected this Saturday in London for an apotheosis in full light.
