Toulouse (AFP)

Sofiane Guitoune, Maxime Medard, Romain Ntamack ... the internationals came back and Toulouse, stunning for 25 minutes then very serious, won with the offensive bonus ahead Clermont (34-8), Saturday at the 9th day of Top 14.

This success, in the remake of the final of last season (24-18), the fourth of the Red and Black of the season, allows the Stadium to climb to 7th place in the championship, a rank a little more in line with its status.

Ugo Mola's men are one point behind Clermont, who lost two places in the match for La Rochelle on Sunday.

But there is still some way to fill the gap. Last year, Toulouse lost just three games in the season, against five already this season, all away.

This success has above all the merit of giving a good dose of confidence to the Rouge et Noir as their other goal of the season comes: the European Cup.

Last year, they were eliminated in the semifinal by the Irish Leinster (30-12) and they set high ambitions in this event. Friday, they move to Gloucester and the next week they receive the Irish from Connacht.

- Like a hurricane -

For Clermont, it is the inability to counter the waves of Toulouse in the first part of the match that will have to reflect Franck Azéma in the optics, too, the continental rendezvous. The Auvergnats first face Londoners Harlequins then go to Ireland to play against Ulster.

Before this day, with the return of the globalists, Toulouse, only 11th, had refused to speak of a new era. His technicians just wanted a new breath.

It's actually a hurricane that hit Clermont for almost half an hour. With a recovery and a counterpart offshore off which Sofiane Guitoune gave to Huget who blindly shifted Ramos. Extinguishing a plating, the international back has been able to offer Guitoune, his teammate at the Blues, his first try of the season. Ramos transformed him (10-0, 7).

It is still a big gust of wind that passed on the Clermontois seven minutes later. This time, it was Guitoune who gave to Ramos, whose pass skipped for Maxime Médard allowed the international winger to conclude. The best test scorer in activity flattened for the 83rd time for the Stade Toulousain. With the transformation of Ramos, Toulouse had taken his ease (17-0, 14).

The Jaunards, for whom Toulouse looked a little bit like a pet peeve, since they have not won for five years, not counting the lost final, were absent.

They took another blow on a small kick to follow of Zack Holmes on which Romain Ntamack, just elected world revelation, turned up, slalomed to register the third test. He too transformed. (24-0, 23)

The Clermontois at least have shown that they have character and have finally reacted. They pushed the Toulousains to the fault, which allowed Morgan Parra to reduce the score on his first penalty (24-3, 26).

After the break, they have better content Toulouse. And another international Blue, Alivereti Raka, took off the offensive bonus to Toulouse by picking up a ball after a pass by Camille Lopez who bounced back a lot (24-8, 46).

But this offensive bonus, so important in the standings, the Toulouse have finally recovered thanks to Gilian Galan (71), in a test this time while power.

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