There will therefore be no tenth consecutive victories in his lair for a Toulouse team in the hard and beaten for the third time in a row in the Top 14. Even if the reigning French champion has two matches behind, he does not no longer occupies one of the first two places in the championship (4th) for the first time since the second day.

A small revolution fomented by a Racing 92 team which confirmed its return to form with this fourth victory in five matches in all competitions, the second in the Top 14.

Yet reinforced by the joint tenures of Antoine Dupont, Romain Ntamack and Cyril Baille, as well as by the presence of François Cros and Anthony Jelonch on the bench – all absent from the list of 42 players retained by the tricolor staff after being declared positive for Covid-19 last week - Stade Toulousain fell to Ernest-Wallon for the first time since May 2021 against Bayonne.

In this poster which will not have kept all its promises, the return to competition of scrum half Antoine Dupont, who had not played since December 11, also confirmed that the tricolor captain was behind in his preparation.

The best player in the world 2021 played 70 minutes but without distilling his usual feats.

Toulouse scrum-half Antoine Dupont (c) prepares to scrum against Racing 92 on January 29, 2022 at the Ernest-Wallon Valentine stadium CHAPUIS AFP

His association with another returning "covid", international opener Romain Ntamack, was a kind of eight-day France-Italy dress rehearsal.

Author of the last pass on the first try of the match scored by the Argentinian Juan Cruz Mallia (5-6, 24), the N.10 was not very visible outside of this action.

And that's all

The Ile-de-France residents, who were deprived of Gaël Fickou, Virimi Vakatawa, Yoan Tanga and Ibrahim Diallo, requisitioned by the Blues - i.e. as many elements as Toulouse, which had to do without Thomas Ramos, Peato Mauvaka, Julien Marchand and Dorian Aldegheri -, were already leading at the break (6-5) and, without a gross clumsiness at the foot of Donavan Taofifenua (40), the gap could even have been greater.

A fault quickly forgiven since the Ile-de-France winger flattened in a corner as soon as he returned from the locker room to consolidate his team's lead (11-5).

A warning heard by the other Argentinian from Toulouse, the center Santiago Chocobares, who gave the advantage to Stade Toulousain for the first time in the match (12-11, 49th).

Toulouse opener Romain Ntamack tackled by Racing 92 winger Donovan Taofifenua on January 29, 2022 at the Ernest-Wallon Valentine stadium CHAPUIS AFP

Insufficient not to stay within gunshot of the Ile-de-France scorers, who finally plunged Ugo Mola and his staff into doubt, despite the defensive bonus point saved at the last minute on a penalty from Romain Ntamack.

A very meager consolation as Toulouse will be deprived of its internationals in its next six matches.

© 2022 AFP