The Toulouse tactical plan for high-stakes matches, no doubt a little demoralizing for the opposing camp, is often the same.

With his physical impact, his piston arms in the rucks and his power in melee, Marchand takes care of the undermining work for a good fifty minutes before giving way to Mauvaka, whose explosiveness and mobility work wonders against to tired defenses.

The management of the reigning champions decided last weekend to start the 25-year-old New Caledonian in the play-off against the new European champion, La Rochelle, a team nevertheless renowned for the harshness of its pack.

"Normally, when there is a fight, it's more for Julien. But there, it went well for me", commented Mauvaka, all smiles after the match, won with authority by the Rouge et Noir (33 -28).

Three-quarter hands

The international hooker (14 caps) has something to do with it.

Perfect on the fundamentals of his position, he also delivered a marvelous blind pass inside for Antoine Dupont, behind his team's first try.

Almost a copy-paste, not programmed this time, of a combination which had sent its winger Matthis Lebel on trial last month in the quarter-finals of the European Cup against the Irish of Munster (24-24, 4- 2 tables).

"Antoine (Dupont) had to clear the ball and I didn't feel it. So I left and I heard him calling me inside," says Mauvaka, a forward in three-quarter hands.

"We often do it in training. I said to myself + if it passes Ugo will be happy and if it doesn't pass he kills me +".

Toulouse hooker Peato Mauvaka facing his La Rochelle counterpart Pierre Bourgarit, in the Top 14 jump-off, on June 11, 2022 in Toulouse Valentine CHAPUIS AFP / Archives

It's over and Ugo Mola hasn't had to beat up his player, whose creativity he doesn't want to stifle, even if it sometimes involves waste: "if you're always blaming the excesses they may have, you never have the best of them when it counts. You don't have to be a castrator".

"Neymar and Mbappe"

The head coach of Toulouse is well aware that he has two prime assets at his disposal, which he strives to use fairly throughout the season.

"When you have Neymar and Mbappé playing in the same position, you can put them next to football. You can't play rugby, so they share the playing time a little," he explains.

"Julien brings us things in leadership, the ability to federate around him. Peato is a brilliant kid in rugby, he knows how to do everything, but he has this nonchalance which sometimes costs him", continues Mola. "When you are a coach and you have two boys like that, it's still easier than to invent anything".

In the France team, coach Fabien Galthié systematically chose to start Marchand during the last Six Nations Tournament, despite Mauvaka's fine performances in the fall, especially during the victory against New Zealand (40-25 ), in the absence of his injured teammate.

Behind the Toulouse duo, a third man is discreetly making a place for himself with the Blues: the hooker from Castres, Gaëtan Barlot, who will have a lot to do on Friday in the semi-finals of the Top 14. - live in the starting XV.

© 2022 AFP