Despite a perfect European course, Toulouse keeps "a little bitter taste"

• Tombeur de Gloucester Sunday (35-14), Stade Toulousain won its six group matches in the Champions Cup. It will host the Irish province of Ulster on April 4 or 5 at the Stadium.
• If he had scored one more try, which was largely in his strings, the French champion would also have ensured a possible European semi-final at home.

Fallen from the English of Gloucester with the offensive bonus this Sunday (35-14), the Stade Toulousain has, for the first time in its glorious European history, managed a flawless in the group stage. For the past ten years, the Red and Black have never played a quarter-final at home, as they are preparing to do on April 4 or 5 at the Stadium against the Irish at Ulster.

At the time, they had pushed the adventure to a fourth continental coronation, the last to date. And yet, despite these splendid statistics, the Stadists pouted after their Sunday success. “If we had been told at the start of the season that we would win six games out of six, we would have signed. And finally, we have a tiny feeling of unfinished business, ”admits the pillar Clément Castets.

European Rugby Cup: Stade Toulousain crushes Gloucester and will host Ulster in the quarter ... Relive the match live #STGLO https://t.co/rEuwIYa8VM via @ 20minutes pic.twitter.com/CgEqeIqKYO

Toulouse has entered five tries at the Cherry and White. A sixth would have ensured them the place of second best team of the group stage, behind the Irish of Leinster. Finally, the English of Exeter beat the champions of France unlike points (+81 against +77). A detail ? No, because if they had finished second, the Stadists would have been assured of playing a possible half at home, before the final already scheduled in Marseille. A nice course in blue-white-red…

Towards a possible semi-final in England

Instead, they must rely on a quarterback feat from Northampton, second in the English league, on the pitch of Exeter, the current leader, to hope to play their half in France. But sporting logic, in the event of a victory over Ulster, would send them across the Channel.

🚨 Your Champions Cup quarter-finals! 🚨 @ leinsterrugby - @ Saracens @ ASMOfficiel - @ racing92 @ StadeToulousain - @ UlsterRugby @ ExeterChiefs - @SaintsRugby

Note: the exact dates, kick-offs and broadcasters will be announced later in the week pic.twitter.com/9HHEKg4BYw

"There is a little frustration, but you have to be happy with what we have done," argues the center Sofiane Guitoune, who still confesses "a little bitter taste".

“The question is a bit presumptuous. Before thinking of the half, you have to play the quarters, ”recalls Ugo Mola, who talks about a“ goal achieved ”. But the Toulouse manager cannot help but regret "a certain waste and a lack of efficiency". "We could have put not the sixth try, but the seventh, the eighth or the ninth. "

The tile for Aldegheri

However, Mola has other concerns. On Sunday, he lost his two main right pillars. “There is a big concern for Dorian Aldegheri, a little less for Charlie Faumuina. The first, hit in the left knee, left the lawn in tears. He was one of the nine Toulousains summoned to the French team this Sunday evening in preparation for the VI Nations Tournament, which will begin on February 2 against England. A few hours after Aldegheri's injury, the FFR announced his replacement in Blue by the Castres Wilfrid Hounkpatin.

The French team called Wilfrid Hounkpatin to replace Dorian Aldegheri, injured with the @StadeToulousain this afternoon. The @CastresRugby player joins the group of 42 players who are preparing the #SixNations Tournament in Nice. # NeFaisonsXV

"Without an opener [Romain Ntamack selected in Blue, Zack Holmes suspended] and without a straight pillar, you will have to be imaginative," says Mola, before the dreaded period of "duplicates". For position number 10, scrum half Sébastien Bézy and inexperienced South African Tristan Tedder can help out, while the usual left-handed Clément Castets, Paulo Tafili, Maks Van Dyk or David Ainu'u can officiate at number 3 .

Sunday, Stade Toulousain, seventh in the Top 14 and currently off the nail for qualification in the final phase, will find Ernest-Wallon when the leader, the Union Bordeaux-Bègles, comes.

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