A few days before the 26th and last day, Rochelais (4th, 67 pts), Toulonnais (7th, 64 pts) and Lyonnais (8th, 63 pts) are in the fight with Racing 92 (5th, 66 pts), Toulouse ( 6th, 66 pts) and even Clermont (9th, 62 pts) to win one of the three tickets remaining to be taken.

Montpellier, Bordeaux-Bègles and Castres, which form the regular season podium, have already qualified.

And the last march on Sunday promises to be high for the three European finalists since Lyon receives La Rochelle and Toulon goes to Racing 92.

The task will undoubtedly be easier for the Maritimes and the Gones, respectively winners of the European Cup and the European Challenge.

On condition of having digested the victory.

"The year is not over: we resumed quiet this Wednesday morning: a bit of cycling, games... just to sweat a little, to recover. There are only a few days before Lyon, you have to switch," international prop Uini Atonio told AFP.

"The objective is to do better than last year. We have said it. We are on the right road but we must not forget that we are not yet qualified. We are European champions but we still have a game to play to qualify for the Top 14. We have to come back down and restart the machine because Lyon, it will sting”, he added, considering that it would be “a failure” not to qualify a year after the final lost against Toulouse.

European champion against European champion

The people of La Rochelle, fresh kings of Europe, will moreover return to their habits.

"We are not going to change because we have a star on the jersey. We are a group with a lot of humility and we are going to go back to work and work even harder to always want more. We are not going to be satisfied and take ourselves for others, just because we have a star above the logo", promised captain Grégory Alldritt.

Toulon Rugby Club coach Franck Azema at the Vélodrome stadium in Marseille on May 27, 2022 NICOLAS TUCAT AFP

For the RCT, it is also an opportunity to move on and return to the final phase after missing the train last season.

“Through the championship and the European Cup, we have been in final phase mode for three months”, explained Var manager Franck Azéma, who mentioned feeding “regrets”, not “on the course” in the European Challenge but about the defeat in the final against LOU (30-12).

"Only time will allow them to pass. We will go through all these states: anger, frustration, that's how it is... Otherwise, we shouldn't compete, if we must fall week after week”, he thus tempered.

"You have to cash in and grit your teeth," added Azéma.

As for Lyon, which has just won the first title in its history with the European Challenge, we hope "that the best is yet to come", as Baptiste Couilloud explains.

History to really live an end of season in apotheosis.

© 2022 AFP