Montpellier (AFP)

The Toulouse Stadium, decisive at the end of the match thanks to its internationals, consolidated its second place by winning (16-9) Saturday in Montpellier, in full doubt, during the 13th day of Top 14.

The Toulouse have a fifth consecutive victory in the Top 14, the seventh in all competitions, and continue on their formidable momentum.

Ugo Mola's plan worked perfectly.

By betting on the freshness of the internationals Antoine Dupont, Thomas Ramos, Julien Marchand… entered in the middle of the second half (55th), the Toulouse coach succeeded in his bet and allowed his team to obtain a logical victory.

Nine minutes from the end of a long uncertain and closed match (9-9), the last French champion scored the only try of the match through the number 8 Antoine Miquel (71), in the relay of a breakaway from the international scrum half Dupont

Montpellier, which has won only one of the last seven games, plunges into turmoil.

He is only a small point ahead of Castres, classified in the penultimate place, and worries about the rest of the season.

Eliminated from the European Cup, left behind in the league and beaten for the third time at home, he has had another complicated season since his failure in the championship final in 2018.

Sports manager Xavier Garbajosa, who replaced Vern Cotter in the summer of 2019, has obviously not found the key to relaunching a team with many internationals.

Here he is again at the foot of the wall before two consecutive trips to Lyon, Wednesday in a late match, and in Brive on Sunday.

Until the 71st minute, Montpellier was on a par with Toulouse, but never managed to force the opposing lock, lacking both precision and serenity in its game.

Master of possession and occupation of the field, the MHR fell on the solid defense of Toulouse.

During a first period, closed, his powerful forwards hardly ever found the opening.

Due to lack of accuracy, they spoiled one or two opportunities, especially during the yellow card of pillar Clément Castets (21).

And exposed themselves to the efficiency and determination of the Toulouse bench.

© 2021 AFP