Paris (AFP)

La Rochelle, Bordeaux-Bègles and Toulouse: two novices and a regular.

Victorious in the quarterfinals, three Top 14 clubs will represent France in the semi-finals of the European Rugby Cup against the Irish from Leinster.

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Jalibert as boss

Twenty-four points, all at the foot.

Thanks WHO?

Matthieu Jalibert single-handedly eliminated Racing 92 (24-21).

The opener of Bordeaux-Bègles, of a last penalty of 55 meters, in stoppage of play, especially offered the first semi-final of the European Cup in its history to the UBB.

The absences - numerous - on the side of Racing do not explain everything.

Certainly, Teddy Thomas, Finn Russell, Henry Chavancy, Simon Zebo, Bernard Le Roux and Virimi Vakatawa were all missing and were joined after less than a minute of play by Camille Chat.

But the Ciel et Blanc have especially fallen on a strong maous bone in the person of Jalibert.

Almost flawless for the French international, who ended the game eight out of nine against the posts.

"When you play with Matthieu, the team has confidence in Matthieu," Gironde manager Christophe Urios explained recently.

Sunday's demonstration, which follows 22 points passed to Bristol (36-17) in the quarterfinals, proves it again, if need be: at UBB, the boss is Jalibert.

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Ntamack answers him

Undoubtedly inspired by the recital of Jalibert, his competitor for the number 10 of the France team, Romain Ntamack, answered him in the wake by also registering all the points from Toulouse to Clermont (21-12).

The young opener of the Blues propelled Stade Toulouse to the thirteenth European Cup semi-final in its history, and the third in a row, after a second Franco-French confrontation without a test.

A great classic from the final phase.

In pursuit of a fifth European star, the Haut-Garonnais club brought down one by one the strongholds of continental rugby.

After his exploit in the round of 16 in Thomond Park in the Irish province of Munster (40-33), he won at the Michelin stadium in Clermont for the first time since 2002. An eternity.

Obviously favorite, Toulouse will have in the semi-final, at the beginning of May, the advantage of the ground against the UBB, with a match in the match in perspective between two of the heroes of the weekend, Ntamack and Jalibert.

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La Rochelle among the greats

La Rochelle will host the Irish giants of Leinster, four times winner of the competition.

The Maritimes had assured France on Saturday to have three representatives in the last four by crushing the English of Sale (45-21).

Like adults, they physically knocked out the Sharks to afford a first European Cup semi-final.

Like the UBB.

The chiefs' fight between the reigning champion, Exeter, and the most successful team in the competition had turned to the advantage of Leinster (34-22), who qualified for his twelfth semi-final by making a strong impression .

© 2021 AFP