Toulouse played almost at home at the Anoeta stadium, the usual den of Real Sociedad footballers, which their supporters invested en masse just three hours drive from the Pink City.

They probably did not need this extra soul as their superiority jumped to the eyes on the Basque meadow, in line with the regular phase, of which they spent 24 of the 26 days in the lead.

The Stadium reached its third final in the last four years to come to an end. He won the first two, in 2019 and 2021, with a golden generation undoubtedly destined to stay a few more years at the top of French rugby.

The main provider of the XV de France, the second nation in the world ranking, put an abrupt end to the rollercoaster season of Racing, which has not seen the final since 2016, the year of its last title.

Eliminated from the pools of the Champions Cup - very far from its ambitions -, the Hauts-de-Seine club will have at least saved appearances by climbing into the last four thanks to its victorious play-off on the field of Stade Français (33-20) last weekend.

A match that the Toulouse, assured for a long time already to be of the Basque rendezvous, looked at the toes in fan after having already blown a lot the previous weeks.

The Haut-Garonne staff had made sure throughout the season to spare its squad, which, too blunted, was surprised by Castres (24-18) in the semi-finals last year.

Winger Matthis Lebel resists Gaël Fickou to score Toulouse's first try against Racing in San Sebastian, northern Spain, June 9, 2023 © GAIZKA IROZ / AFP

His surplus of freshness was decisive Friday night in the sweltering of San Sebastian, where his opponent from the Paris region will have held the rhythm only a quarter of an hour after the protocol thrills of the hegoak, a traditional Basque song.

The last of Travers

The Stade Toulousain, initially hampered in touch, killed the semblance of suspense in five minutes thanks to its two best scorers of the season.

Winger Matthis Lebel first made a fine start (18th), then second row Emmanuel Meafou scored his 12th try of the season, in all competitions, following a penalty played by hand, a new Toulouse classic.

The Racingmen, led 14-0, quickly gave up, not really helped by a faulty footwork and a festival of forwards.

They will have at least had the merit of saving the honor by Gaël Fickou (71st) and Ibrahim Diallo (76th), but Toulouse, dominating in all areas, especially in scrum, had already folded the case for a long time, even offering themselves the luxury of bringing out their international hinge Dupont-Ntamack early enough.

The third line Alexandre Roumat (50th), the winger Arthur Retière (58th) and the third line François Cros (80th) inflated the score in humiliating proportions for Racing.

The Ile-de-France institution will present another face next season. Starting with the bench, where manager Laurent Travers will give way to former England coach Stuart Lancaster.

Racing 92 manager Laurent Travers before the match against Toulouse in San Sebastian, June 9, 2023 © GAIZKA IROZ / AFP

The whimsical Scottish opener Finn Russell played his last match in the sky and white jersey, which will be worn in a few months by another big name in world rugby: the iconic captain of South Africa Siya Kolisi.

Entered through the front door in the final, the Stade Toulousain will have the opportunity next week to continue writing its history, already rich in 21 shields of Brennus.

He will face at the Stade de France the winner of the second semi-final scheduled for Saturday (17:00) between Bordeaux-Bègles and the double European champion of La Rochelle, new "scarecrow" of French rugby.

© 2023 AFP