the essentials The round of 16 of the Champions Cup mark the first final stages of the season. The last two winners Toulouse and La Rochelle are not in the same boat.
And now the Champions Cup takes place on the rugby scene for two weekends. A Champions Cup with a Top 14 flavor since it will offer us a Franco-French duel (Stade Toulousain – Racing 92). A Champions Cup also to the taste of the Tournament with a Franco-English duel (Bordeaux – Saracens) which will remind us of a very close France – England. And finally, a Champions Cup with World Cup memories with two eighths between South African franchises and French clubs (Bulls – Lyon and Stormers – La Rochelle). You will have understood that there will be something for all taste buds already exacerbated by the smell of the playoff matches.
Read also :
Stade Toulousain: “You missed Romain, right?”… When Matthis Lebel analyzes his friend Ntamack’s return to the field
The first phase always having a crucial importance for the elimination part of the competition with an eighth and a quarter at home for the four best clubs, you will have understood that between the last two European champions, namely Stade Toulousain in 2020 -2021 and Stade Rochelais in 2021-2022 and 2022-2023, the presumed trajectories are different.
Read also :
Stade Toulousain-Pau: “I went a little high…” Romain Ntamack talks about his weight gain and the beating of his teammates
By finishing number 1, Stade Toulousain finally gave itself the chance of a so-called royal road. Even if he knows perfectly well the contours of a trap during a Franco-French confrontation, especially against an opponent as unpredictable as Racing. Toulouse, however, has a large psychological advantage in that it largely dominated the Ile-de-France club in the semi-final of the Top 14 last season, and won in January at the Arena.
Read also :
INTERVIEW. Stade Toulousain: “I had a lump in my stomach…” Romain Ntamack confides after his return to competition
In addition, Racing, which regained a little confidence with three successes in a row, including one in Castres after five consecutive defeats, experienced many misfortunes this weekend. Nolann Le Garrec is out with a concussion and has little chance of holding his place next Sunday. On the other hand, Antoine Gibert injured in an ankle and Camille Chat injured during the warm-up should also not make the trip.
Read also :
Stade Toulousain-Pau: Toulouse felt the wind blowing… The “rouge et noir” were close to a first defeat at home
Here is Racing without a hinge at the time of possibly facing the Dupont – Ntamack hinge… Stade Toulousain will however have to leave in the locker room all these blunders and bad choices which tarnished its copy against Pau because it will not always be able to count on its strength of character to overturn a match.
Read also :
Stade Toulousain: no Stadium against Racing 92, the Champions Cup round of 16 will ultimately be played at Ernest-Wallon
In the other part of the table, Stade Rochelais will have to completely turn the tables by first winning in South Africa against the Stormers. Especially since the South Africans did not have an international competition this winter and should therefore have more freshness, having been able to prepare physically for the European spring when the La Rochelle internationals continued the Tournament after the World Cup.
Read also :
Stade Toulousain-Pau: Romain Ntamack, a timely return… How the French international behaved
If successful, we will then have to win in Dublin against Leinster. The march seems very high for a team which has a series of ups and downs, like its match against Oyonnax.