Like last season, the first two of the regular season, in this case Castres Olympique (76 points) and Montpellier Hérault rugby (74 pts), find themselves in the final of the championship, after having respectively dominated in the most anticipated semi-finals. , Toulouse (24-18), defending champion, and Bordeaux-Bègles (19-10).

At the start of the season, few people were betting on a final between the Tarn sub-prefecture, despite having already won the Bouclier de Brennus five times, the last of which in 2018, and an MHR in search of its first league title, at the workforce less "mercenary" than before and which has come a long way after a 2020-2021 season ended in 10th place.

Both eliminated early in the European Cups (in the round of 16 of the European Challenge for the CO, in the quarterfinals of the Champions Cup for the MHR) and with few international players, the two clubs avoided harmful "duplicates" during the Six Nations Tournament: so many assets that allowed them to keep a certain freshness throughout the season and to play the top names without forcing too much.

Presentation of the final of the Top 14 2021-2022 Castres vs Montpellier on June 24 at the Stade de France Vincent LEFAI AFP

And this, without attracting the spotlight in the absence of "stars" in their workforce.

"Values"

"I saw in the media that the most glamorous final would have been Bordeaux-Toulouse. We are sorry for people who find that we are not glamorous (laughs)", admits the second line of Castres Loïc Jacquet.

But, he adds, recalling that the CO is only the 10th budget of the Top 14, "there are a lot of people who find themselves in the values ​​of the club and what the team, with its means , manages to transmit on the ground and that makes us happy".

Montpellier 2nd line Nico Janse Van Rensburg grabs the ball against Castres, during their last Top 14 confrontation at Pierre-Fabre, March 5, 2022 Fred SCHEIBER AFP / Archives

"Values" that the two clubs share, as well as a game based on the fundamentals of rugby: conquest, defense and mastery of the game on foot, with a duel of generations to follow between the Argentine opener of CO Benjamin Urdapilleta, 37 years, and his Italian MHR counterpart Paolo Garbisi, 22.

This final also opposes two managers keen on rugby, as discreet as they are adept at the smallest detail.

On the one hand, the Gersois Pierre-Henry Broncan, arrived in the Tarn while the CO was fighting to stay in the Top 14 and who led him for the first time to first place in the regular season.

"50/50"

On the other, Philippe Saint-André, called to the rescue by Mohed Altrad when the club was threatened with relegation in January 2021. A few months later, a first trophy in the European Challenge crowned the work of the former boss. of the XV of France which knew how to inject a new dynamic into its workforce, rejuvenated, invigorated and "Frenchified" after the failure of the South African transplant.

Castres coach Pierre-Henry Broncan delighted with his team's success against Toulouse in the Top 14 semi-final in Nice, June 17, 2022 NICOLAS TUCAT AFP / Archives

Friday night's poster is also a "remake" of the 2018 final, which saw the CO win 29-13, but that has "nothing to do", assures Loïc Jacquet.

"As much as in 2018 we could have said that Montpellier was a big favorite (...) so much for this final, it's 50/50, he says. These are two teams that are very similar in their game, in lots of things".

Montpellier players in training at the Stade de France, June 23, 2022, the day before the final against Castres Anne-Christine POUJOULAT AFP

Never titled but twice finalists (2011 and 2018), the Héraultais hope to take their revenge and lift their first Shield of Brennus on Friday.

It would be a nice gift for Fulgence Ouedraogo, figure of the MHR and Guilhem Guirado, former captain of the XV of France, two icons of French rugby who will retire at the end of the meeting.

But also a great revenge for "PSA", whose record as a manager remains tarnished by the bitter defeat of the Blues (62-13) against the Blacks in the quarterfinals of the 2015 World Cup.

© 2022 AFP