La Rochelle (AFP)
Toulouse took the lead of the Top 14 by dropping the former leader La Rochelle at home (14-11) after a fierce and undecided fight on Saturday night in a late match of the 15th day postponed because of the Covid-19 .
Winning at Marcel-Deflandre, an impregnable citadel for twenty days, is a feat.
For Toulouse, it's a habit: two years ago, Ugo Mola's men had already made the Maritimes bite the dust in their lair.
This time, the Toulousains bided their time and the right moment to deliver the shock in this shock at the top between the best team at home and the best team away, played without a dozen international confined.
Skelton excluded for ten minutes, Doumayrou still groggy on the previous action, the Rochelais no longer had all their lucidity to oppose the brilliant kick to follow from Holmes for Huget more prompt in the in-goal than Doumayrou ( 74).
The Atlantic wall, which has long resisted, fell for three small points, for a poor final management, for a lack of success by the home scorer Plisson (1 of 4), for a more complicated second act, except in scrum .
However, all had started well for the men of Jono Gibbes.
In the wake of their pair of centers, the caravel club had logically taken the lead.
Doumeyrou, in legs, had been sharp on the first try refused to Botia (5) and on a breakthrough of nearly 40 meters (17) which had put his family in the advance and gave birth, after a strong time, the second Fijian test, this time validated (5-0, 22)
Toulouse, with Kolbe positioned at the opening, struggled to find the keys to the local lock.
It was not until a brilliant action of his opener for a day sneaking between half a dozen Rochelais (35) to wake up his family and sound the revolt.
Unfortunately behind, Kaino's teammates harvested three penalty kicks just before the break reached with a disbursement of eight points (8-0).
On resumption, the physiognomy has completely changed with visitors much more active, especially when their bench entered, and Rochelais a little more undisciplined in the ground game and sanctioned by the boot of Holmes (11-9, 63rd), before this yellow card sent to Skelton (69) who weighed heavily at the end of the game.
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