Toulouse (AFP)
Stade Toulousain won their second game of the season by winning in pain against Pau Saturday night at home (24-23) on the occasion of the fifth day of Top 14.
Beaten three times in the first four games and penultimate kickoff, the champion of France assured the essential without convincing but goes back nevertheless in the first part of the table thanks to this second success at home.
For his part, Pau, author of a feat in Clermont (37-28) during the last day, did not go far to repeat it and deserves his defensive bonus point that allows him to stay in the right wagon .
Led by the score on a Slade penalty, the Toulousans made the difference in two minutes: on a first try of Pita Ahki after a volleyball hit (17) then on a personal exploit of the double U20 world champion Matthis Lebel (15 -3, 19e).
An advantage at the rather flattering break (15-6) for a Toulouse team deprived of balloons and generally dominated by a Paloise Section which cruelly lacked realism, at the foot (2/4) as in the game, like this forward in the goal of his scrum half Samuel Marques (32). "There are a lot of regrets because they were hurt in the first half but never achieve," said the center Alexandre Dumoulin after the meeting.
Reduced to fourteen just before the half-time for an act of antiplay of his second line Richie Arnold, Stade Toulousain did not cash a point during the lapse of time.
In a match without a lot of rhythm and spirit, the reigning French champions took advantage of the indiscipline Paloise (21-9, 61st) to come off.
But feverish and always recovering, Stade Toulousain was scared at the end of the game on a try of Marques at the last minute (24-23, 80th) and a last possession Pau which finally gave nothing. "We are doing well and we are really happy to win this match", also recognized Régis Sonnes the coach of the Toulouse front after the match.
© 2019 AFP