ZCZC
BSP-07
RUGBYU-FRA-TOP14
World Cup stars shine as Toulouse hammer Clermont
PARIS, Nov 10, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – France’s Rugby World Cup stars shone on
their return to the Top 14 as champions Toulouse convincingly beat Clermont
34-8 in a re-run of last season’s final on Saturday.
Les Bleus’ Sofiane Guitoune, Maxime Medard, Romain Ntamack and Alivereti
Raka all scored in their first appearances since the quarter-final defeat by
Wales in October, as the French top flight returned after a fortnight’s
break.
Toulouse’s Ugo Mola named five players in his starting lineup who featured
at the World Cup, including Ntamack who was named World Rugby Young Player of
the Year last weekend but South Africa’s Cheslin Kolbe, who lifted the Webb
Ellis trophy, is only expected to be back later in the month.
“It’s good to get back with Toulouse, my mates, the jersey, I could not
have dreamt of a better return,” Ntamack told Canal+.
“Certainly it’s a great pleasure to win something individual but it’s a
group effort, be that with France or my club, so I owe it to them.”
Clermont coach Franck Azema also welcomed back individuals who had been
away at the tournament including France pair Raka and Camille Lopez, who took
the place of the league’s top point scorer Jake McIntyre at fly-half.
“We’re disappointed, it was a slap in the face. We went missing in the
contact area, in every aspect actually,” Lopez told Canal+.
The home side raced into a 17-0 lead within the opening quarter of an hour
as they replicated the swashbuckling play which led to lifting the title in
June with two superb tries despite greasy conditions.
Centre Guitoune finished off a sublime long-range move which included a
no-look pass from Yoann Huget on the halfway line and Medard scored in the
corner as Thomas Ramos slotted two conversions and a penalty goal.
Despite the superb start, the best try of the half was saved for the 24-
minute mark.
– Cruden’s French farewell –
Australian fly-half Zack Holmes chipped over the high Clermont defence
before centre Ntamack caught the ball and smoothly side-stepped two defenders
with ease to slide over.
The away side’s only response in the opening 40 minutes was a Morgan Parra
penalty goal.
Parra was key in setting up his side’s first touchdown of proceedings,
feeding Lopez who off-loaded with one hand for winger Raka to go over in the
corner six minutes after the break.
After Ramos slotted his second three-pointer of the game on the hour mark,
substitute Gillian Galan sneaked over with a pick and go to claim the bonus
point for Toulouse to guarantee only their fourth win of the season.
Earlier on Saturday, a late Anthony Belleau penalty denied ex-New Zealand
fly-half Aaron Cruden a winning send-off in his final French league game as
Toulon drew 19-19 with Montpellier.
Cruden, 30, leaves France after two seasons and will to return to former
franchise the Chiefs ahead of the new Super Rugby campaign.
The 50-time All Black international was joined in the starting line-up by
France World Cup squad members Louis Picamoles and Guilhem Guirado, who both
retired from Test rugby after the tournament.
On Sunday, Stade Francais and Racing 92 meet in the Parisian derby with
both clubs in the relegation zone.
BSS/AFP/GMR/0909 hrs