The Stade Toulousain certainly won against Montpellier (45-29), but the return of several international players did not have the expected effect. Too many points conceded, unusual errors, and a missing offensive bonus point, the week before the Champions Cup round of 16 against Bristol promises to be studious.
At this time of the Toulouse season, as forwards coach Jean Bouilhou mentioned before the match, it is the moment of “reunification.” For fans of Koh Lanta, it’s the time when the core Red players who handle the essentials during overlapping periods reunite with the Yellow internationals returning from the Six Nations Tournament, after a short week off to recharge their batteries. So, it takes time to get the team back in order, and nothing foreshadows the result of the upcoming match in the round of 16 of the Champions Cup against Bristol (Saturday, April 4 at 6:30 pm), or a potential UBB-Toulouse game in the quarterfinals that everyone is eagerly anticipating, but the Toulouse players did not really appreciate the content of their match against MHR.
“There is quite a bit of frustration, indeed, given the content of the match. We still managed to win this match, but we see that it was very close, with Montpellier coming back strongly. We kind of set ourselves up to be beaten at times,” assessed forwards coach Jean Bouilhou.
However, at 31-8 in the 36th minute, even 38-15 at the start of the second half, no one was trembling in the Ernest-Wallon stadium. With three tries ahead each time, probably sealing the match’s outcome, the Toulousains’ goal, who had “punished” the Montpellier players every time they lacked realism, was mainly to consolidate the offensive bonus. Yet, the errors were numerous, to the point where the staff began coaching the team as early as the 33rd minute with the entries of Willis and Aldegheri in place of Brennan and Merkler. “Already during warm-up, we didn’t feel a lot of energy. We wanted a quick reaction, which is why there were these changes fairly quickly. It somehow indicates a lack of overall enthusiasm this afternoon.”
With setbacks like Meafou’s withdrawal before the match (hamstring bothering the thigh), Ramos growing annoyed, even shaking his head when being replaced, a yellow card for Willis for an infringement at a ruck, and even a worrying shoulder injury, Antoine Dupont’s entry did not change anything, and Toulouse ended up stagnating and settling for a draw (14-14) in the second half against a Montpellier side that had largely rotated their lineup. “Yes, we are a bit frustrated,” explains half-back Paul Graou. “After all, we won’t spit on the victory because it was a strong Montpellier team. But I think that considering the match, we could have done a bit more, especially in aggressiveness. In the duels, I think we lost some, contacts where we were not at our best defensive level.”
“There will be things to work on during the week”
And that’s also the problem. Apart from being the second team to prevent Toulouse from securing the offensive bonus (after Stade Francais) and seeing it as a performance, since nine times before the Toulousains had taken five points in their home matches, the MHR allowed themselves the luxury of scoring 29 points and four tries. One week after conceding 44 points in Bordeaux, the defense of the “Red and Black” is showing signs of fatigue. “At times, we felt the team very defensive,” continues Bouilhou. “We missed a lot of tackles too. We took a carried ball, which also reflects the team’s spirit. Our defense upfront is a strong point for us. Of course, that put us in trouble once again with those carried balls. There will be things to work on during the week.”
Well, Jean Bouilhou will clarify that 105 successful tackles out of 120 are not so damaging. But the impression is there. Lost balls, insecure clearances, and players overplaying in critical moments. “After all, it’s a comeback match for many guys who were on vacation and returning from the tournament,” justifies Graou. “There are automatisms to pick up together. We need to spend time together again. I think this match will also be good for us moving forward.” A setback for a benefit to raise the concentration level before a crucial week (or fortnight, as the fans hope).
