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The 2015 French champion will be different to 2014 after heavyweights Toulon were beaten by the Gonzalo Quesada coached Stade Français in Bordeaux earlier this evening. The 33-16 defeat means Toulon will not contest a French final for the first time since Rugby World Cup 2011.
Mourning the loss of former teammate Jerry Collins Toulon played with passion and started very strongly with Wallaby Drew Mitchell latching onto a Juan Martín Hernández chip-kick to score in just the 5th minute with Welshman Leigh Halfpenny adding the conversion. Any early ominous signs were quickly muted, however as the Parisians withstood pressure and made it a 10-6 game at the quarter mark.
A moment of brilliance by Italian captain Sergio Parisse put over former French international Raphaël Lakafia for the Parisians’ opening try and when Antoine Burban ran clear for a solo try to bring the half to a close Stade Français appeared to have the game for the taking.
Halfpenny cut the deficit to four with a 45th minute penalty before Morné Steyn responded with two of his own to edge Stade Français towards an unlikely final. With Toulon trailing by ten points the three-time reigning European champions and 2014 Top 14 winners put everything in to scoring. Opportunities were created but a lack of execution and Parisian defensive tactics proved the undoing of Toulon.
With time all but up and Toulon ten points down Mitchell lost control of the ball within inches of his only goal line enabling Julien Arias to collect and dive over for a simple try. Steyn’s conversion brought an end to the contest and with it Stade Français secured their place in a first final since 2007.
The flavors of global rugby was visible throughout the lineups with a host of nations represented. These included both Argentina and the USA. In addition to Hernández Toulon also had Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe involved as a replacement back-rower. In addition to Parisse another Argentina player capped by Italy was on the team sheets with Martín Castrogiovanni among the Toulon replacements.
Joining Parisse late in the second half in the Stade Français back-row was USA international Scott LaValla. He is now 80 minutes away from joining his Eagles teammate Chris Wyles in winning a national title this season. Both are expected to be starting against Samoa in the opening weekend match of the World Cup in September.
LaValla and Stade Français now await the winner of Toulouse vs Clermont. The teams will meet on Saturday afternoon with the match also being played in Bordeaux. Regardless of the outcome the Top 14 Final is guaranteed to be a match involving world class players from the Americas.
The scorers
For Stade Français:
Tries: Lakafia, Burban, Arias
Cons: Steyn 3
Pens: Steyn 4
For Toulon
Try: Mitchell
Con: Halfpenny
Pens: Halfpenny 3
Stade Français
15 Djibril Camara, 14 Julien Arias, 13 Waisea Nayacalevu Vuidravuwalu, 12 Jonathan Danty, 11 Jérémy Sinzelle, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Julien Dupuy, 8 Sergio Parisse (Captain), 7 Raphaël Lakafia, 6 Antoine Burban, 5 Alexandre Flanquart, 4 Hugh Pyle, 3 Rabah Slimani, 2 Rémi Bonfils, 1 Heinke van der Merwe
16 Laurent Sempéré, 17 Zak Taulafo, 18 Pascal Papé, 19 Jono Ross, 20 Scott Lavalla, 21 Jérôme Fillol, 22 Meyer Bosman, 23 Davit Zirakashvili
Toulon
15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Drew Mitchell, 13 Mathieu Bastareaud, 12 Juan Martin Hernandez, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Matt Giteau, 9 Sébastien Tillous-Borde, 8 Chris Masoe, 7 Steffon Armitage, 6 Juan Smith, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Carl Hayman (Captain), 2 Guilhem Guirado, 1 Xavier Chiocci
16 Jean-Charles Orioli, 17 Alexandre Ménini, 18 Jocelino Suta, 19 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, 20 Maxime Mermoz, 21 Delon Armitage, 22 Michael Claassens, 23 Martin Castrogiovanni
