News

Toulouse join Clermont in French final

June 22 2008

Justice was served in the Top 14 on Sunday, as Toulouse, second in the table by the end of the season, joined first-placed Clermont in the Top 14 final in Paris next week with a 31-13 win over Stade Français.

After a nervy first half, which Toulouse ended 6-3 ahead, three second-half tries had Toulouse 28-6 in the lead with 20 minutes still to play.

Toulouse were either too strong or less tired. It's difficult to tell at the end of such a long season. On paper, this should have been a close match between two teams of the highest quality, but in the end it was a mis-match.

The Parisians offered little in attack beyond the ambitious drop goal attempts repeatedly fluffed by Juan Hernandez, two of which were a feature of a stuttery opening 20 minutes.

The only other scoring opportunities came from kicks as well: one up and under from Jean-Baptiste Elissalde that dropped perilously close to a post was mopped up in the nick of time by Christophe Dominici - playing what was his final game of rugby, and then another kick into the Parisian defence caused enough panic for a penalty to be conceded, with which Elissalde opened the scoring.

Elissalde made it 6-0 on 22 minutes, after a Maxime Médard offload was claimed by an offside Parisian player. Hernandez replied in kind, with the penalty coming for a similar offence.

Then came a rare spell of open play. First Sergio Parisse dropped the ball over the line after recovering a Hernandez high ball, and then Maleli Kunavore spilled a pass inside from Yannick Jauzion which should have been taken and scored.

But Toulouse broke the monotony eaely in the second half, when Kunavore kicked turnover ball long long down the pitch, and Médard won the foot-race with Arias to the bouncing ball. Elissalde made it 13-3 with the extras.

Elissalde and Hernandez then traded penalties, but with 25 minutes remaining, Jauzion sealed the result with a close-range try as a result of a line-out steal by Pelous.

Five minutes later, Jauzion stepped inside Lionel Beauxis, and through the chasm where the Parisian back-row ought to have been to make it 28-6.

Jerome Fillol's late try off the blind side of a line-out added some cosmetic value to the Stade Français scoreline, but Médard landed a late drop goal to keep any thought of a comeback at bay.

The scorers:

For Toulouse:

Tries: Médard, Jauzion 2

Cons: Elissalde, Kunavore

Pens: Elissalde 2, Kunavore

Drop goal: Fritz

For Stade Français:

Try: Fillol

Con: Hernandez

Pens: Hernandez 2

Yellow card: Kunavore (69, Toulouse, deliberate infringement)