And six! Winner, in style, of the English of Exeter (64-26), Sunday April 14, at the Ernest-Wallon stadium, Stade Toulouse offers itself a sixth semi-final in a row in the Champions Cup, the great European cup of rugby.
A demonstration-like success for the Rouge et Noir, who scored nine tries during the match – including seven in the second half. Enough to disgust their opponents of the day, after a very tight start to the match.
Four tries scored in ten minutes
For his third consecutive start after eight months of absence, after a serious knee injury, Romain Ntamack had ideally launched his team on the first Toulouse foray (8th).
But, reduced to fourteen after Peato Mauvaka’s yellow card, they left spaces. Third row Ethan Roots took the opportunity to give his team a six-point lead (17th).
It was third row Jack Willis, who put the reigning French champion back on track with a strong try (17-16, at half-time).
Whereupon, Toulouse returned with other intentions, to finally show itself up to the challenge. Bottom line: four tries in ten minutes. Established at the back, despite the return to the group of Thomas Ramos, Blair Kinghorn, lit the fuse (48th). Then center Pita Ahki (52nd) definitively freed the Rouge et Noir who had become intractable again.
Kinghorn scored a double (56th) and the best passer of the competition, Antoine Dupont, participated in the party by scoring the sixth try (58th), before giving way to Paul Graou.
Exeter was then barely able to save the honor with Wimbush (62nd), as Juan Cruz Mallia, twice (67th, 79th), and Akhi (75th), also author of a double, worked to increase the score.
Last French club in the competition
“We’re in the half! We’re in the half! », intoned the Toulouse public, although they were used to it: this is the sixteenth time that the club, five-time winner of the Champions Cup (1996, 2003, 2005, 2010, 2021), has reached the last four on the continental scene. A record.
Antoine Dupont’s teammates now have a meeting with another English club, Harlequins, who dominated Bordeaux-Bègles (42-41) the day before. An opponent that Ugo Mola’s men easily dominated, at Twickenham (47-19), in December 2023, during the group stage. The two teams will compete for a place in the final on May 5 at the Stadium, which is reserved for the biggest occasions.
The XV of the Pink City saves the honor of French clubs in the tournament, after the eliminations of UBB and La Rochelle, double title holder, crushed by Leinster (40-13). Hoping to continue on to London, venue of the final, on May 25.
