Toulouse (AFP)

Toulouse will count Sunday in the quarter-finals of the European Cup on the "freshness" of its international Dupont-Ntamack hinge against the "experience" of that of Clermont Parra-Lopez, said Thursday the coach of the Red and Black Ugo Mola.

"I do not know if it is a shock of generations: there is experience on one side and freshness on the other," replied the Toulouse technician at a press conference, invited to compare the two. pairs.

Scrum-half Antoine Dupont (24) and opener Romain Ntamack (21) are regularly associated by coach Fabien Galthié under the jersey of the XV of France, which the Clermontois Morgan Parra (32 years) and Camille Lopez (32 years).

"The experience is like in a nightclub: as long as you're not used to it, you don't come home," Mola said.

"Let's give Dupont-Ntamack time to give himself this experience to become regulars in these matches. Parra-Lopez has already proven its worth by winning, our hinge not yet. Perhaps now is the time."

After the great victory of his team on the ground of Munster in the round of 16 last weekend (40-33), the Toulouse coach would have, rather than Clermont, "preferred to play an English, Irish or Welsh team".

"Normally this competition should bring you other things: another way of playing, another philosophy, provinces ...", he explained.

"But it turns out that there are five French teams in four quarter-finals. There must be some who sacrifice themselves."

The Toulouse stadium's "sacrifice" will go through a perilous trip to the Michelin stadium in Clermont, where the Haut-Garonnais club has not won since 2002.

"It's not nothing 20 years", underlined Mola, who wants all the same well to leave to "the Clermont friends (...) this role of outsiders which suits them so well".

The match against Munster left traces on Toulouse organizations and uncertainties hover over hooker Julien Marchand, pillar Charlie Faumuina, center Pita Ahhki and third row Alban Placines.

Embarrassed by Achilles tendon pain, winger Yoann Huget has resumed training, while South African third row Rynhardt Elstadt, deprived of travel to Ireland for administrative reasons, will be able to apply for the one in Auvergne.

© 2021 AFP