Last three minutes to warm up. It’s not much but enough when you’re a supporter of Stade Français. The Parisian club, thanks to a try from its fullback Léo Barré (78th) responding to that of Castres third row Tyler Ardron (77th), snatched the offensive bonus (33-15) this Saturday afternoon in a freezing Jean-Bouin stadium during the first day of the return phase. Enough to settle, before La Rochelle – Toulon this Sunday, in 3rd place in the ranking.
Before these final breathtaking moments, the Parisians did not have to exert their talent. They didn’t need much else to easily take the lead against a team from Castres who came to Jean-Bouin without much motivation. Maybe just to add a workout this week? A failed session then. The Tarnais multiplied the mistakes and blunders, further destroying a match played in slow motion.
Stade Français, shaped by its manager Paul Gustard to play a restrictive but powerful, solid and realistic game, applied its method to the letter. It only took him ten minutes to find himself in the Castres goal. After a touch five meters away, second line Tanginoa Halaifonua picked up the ball from the maul and stretched to the goal line (10th, 7-0). The opener Louis Carbonel, the only one to breathe a little speed into this numb part, then infiltrated the Castres defense, scoring after a hook and an acceleration (19th, 14-0).
Nothing else until half-time except a Castres try refused for a final forward pass while the Parisian defense was beaten on an 80-meter counter (38th). Returning from the locker room, the Parisians continued at the same broken pace. Enough for scrum half Tawera Kerr-Barlow to take advantage of a new touch from five meters and a winning maul to calmly flatten (47th, 19-3).
The only flash for the Tarnais, a sprint from center Vilimoni Botitu taking all the Parisians by storm (59th, 19-8). Not enough to introduce the slightest suspense. The hooker Lucas Peyresblanques, in force, was responsible for driving the point home (69th, 26-8). Before the crossover of the last three minutes…
Keep reading
