Toulouse (AFP)

Stade Toulousain qualified for the eleventh time in its history for the semi-finals of the European Cup by sweeping the Irish from Ulster at home (36-8) on Sunday, thanks to five tries including a double from Cheslin Kolbe.

Toulouse, beaten by Leinster last year at the same stage of the competition (12-30), will face next Saturday the winner of the match between the English of Northampton and those of Exeter scheduled for later in the evening.

He will only play at home if Northampton wins.

To join the last four of the most prestigious continental competitions, Stade Toulousain has chained a 25th game without defeat at home (24 wins) in all competitions since a setback against Castres on September 29, 2018 in Top 14.

It is also the eighth time in nine quarter-finals played at home that Toulouse have crossed the obstacle.

Only Leinster, in 2006 (41-35), won at this stage of the competition.

With an unsurprising team and all its vital forces, Toulouse did not drag after kick-off: three minutes of play and a ball confiscated from one wing to the other were enough to shift Cheslin Kolbe and thus ideally launch the Hauts-Garonnais (5-0, 3rd).

Ultra dominant on the ground, a key sector against the Irish, Toulouse kept their hands on the ball for most of the first act.

Less successful on the foot than the previous weekend against La Rochelle (9 successful attempts out of 10), the back Thomas Ramos failed to achieve this domination by missing eight points on the foot in the first thirty minutes (8 -3, 25e).

As often when it is necessary to make the difference, it is Cheslin Kolbe - elected man of the match - on a framing-overflow of school, who rewarded his people just before the break (15-3, 39th).

- Unrivaled domination -

Also in great shape since the start of the season, scrum half Antoine Dupont, on a relaunch inspired by Yohann Huget and a perfect stint from Sofiane Guitoune, then added to the bill in the purest tradition of standing up to Toulouse. (22-3, 50th).

Dominated, without idea or gas, the Irish were never able to challenge the unchallenged domination of a Toulouse team which drove the point home by Ahki (62) then Ramos (68) before the reduction of Cooney's anecdotal score (73).

After winning his six group matches, a first in the history of the club, Toulouse, corecordman (with Leinster, eliminated the day before) of the event with four successes, hit hard.

© 2020 AFP