The winners of these two enticing posters will find next week in Nice, in the semi-finals, Castres and Montpellier, who finished the regular phase in the first two places of the classification.

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Toulouse-La Rochelle, how we meet

A final before the hour.

The first play-off on Saturday between the last two European champions is a new classic in French rugby.

Toulouse forwards progress against La Rochelle on June 25, 2021 in the Top 14 final at the Stade de France THOMAS COEX AFP / Archives

"I do not see how we are not going to meet again in the next two or three seasons in matches that will count", predicted, visionary, Toulouse coach Ugo Mola last year between his team's two victorious finals. against La Rochelle in the European Cup and then in the league.

Toulouse and Rochelais meet this time at the play-off stage after having experienced each of their ups and downs since September and had to fight until the last day to secure a place in the top 6.

"We had a rocky season: a good start then a few bugs afterwards," summarized the captain of the Rouge et Noir, Julien Marchand, in an interview with AFP.

For him, despite an ongoing series of six consecutive victories against the Maritimes, Stade Toulousain has "no psychological ascendancy" over its opponent: "Sincerely, we put everything behind. They are European champions, they are at background. Everything is reset."

"We haven't been lucky against them lately," euphemized the La Rochelle winger and future Toulouse Arthur Retière.

Ronan O'Gara's men arrive at Ernest-Wallon in a very positive dynamic.

They have lost just one of their last eleven matches in all competitions.

In Toulouse...

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UBB-Racing 92, the game and the ice

Attention, wounded animals.

UBB and Racing 92 approach this barrage without great certainty: the Ciel et Blancs had to work hard last week to get out of the Toulon trap (21-16) after two setbacks.

Racing 92 center three-quarter Gaël Fickou ball in hand during a Top 14 match against UBB on November 28, 2021 at La Défense Arena in Nanterre FRANCK FIFE AFP / Archives

Same story for the Girondins, who ended the regular season with a misstep against the penultimate, Perpignan (22-15), and have won only three of their last ten meetings.

It will be Sunday to make a clean sweep of the past to access the half.

"In knockout matches, it's the bonus for the team that wants the most, the one that controls its game the best, that adapts best to the referee, the one that is also the most realistic" , assured the manager of Bordeaux-Bègles Christophe Urios.

The former hooker, champion of France at the head of Castres in 2018, knows what to expect.

"Racing is a team a bit like us. They are a bit unpredictable, through their season and their game," he recalled.

He has not forgotten that the Hauts-de-Seine club won (16-13) during its last trip to Chaban.

Laurent Travers' men are playing their twelfth consecutive final phase and seem clearly equipped to play the scarecrows in the outcome of the season.

"Now there are no more points: the counters are at zero. It's a new championship: we are satisfied with the season, we would like to be very satisfied," assured the Ile-de-France manager.

"The final stages are a new championship. Everything is possible: the cards are on the table, it's up to us to seize the opportunities. In a match, everything is possible, it depends on how the team arrives at the meeting. We don't want to end our season on the lawn of Bordeaux", added his third line Wenceslas Lauret.

Woe to the vanquished.

© 2022 AFP