The French Rugby Championship season is coming to an end and ends with a clash between the two best teams of the year, Toulouse and La Rochelle.
Stade Toulousain will already play its 30th Top 14 final this Saturday evening. The Toulousains finished the regular season in the lead and qualified brilliantly for the final this Saturday evening by crushing Racing 92 in the semi-finals of the playoffs (41-14). It was only the confirmation of the excellent season of Toulouse with 24 of the 26 days spent in the lead. However Ugo Mola, coach of the Rouge et Noir, is very wary of the Maritimes: “The double title of champion places them as arch-favorites. It takes a great Stade Toulousain to beat La Rochelle. We have never hidden behind a favorite status. But here we are going to play the best team in Europe with remarkable strength of character. It is not at all to discard.”
But the Rochelais, precisely, do not share the opinion of the Toulouse coach like winger Raymond Rhule: “Normally, it’s Toulouse (the favorite), but we’ll see. It’s a great team, and they , they’ve already done the double, while we haven’t won the championship yet.” The Maritimes also had no problem reaching the final of the Top 14 by dismissing Bordeaux-Bègles (24-13) after an impressive first period where they led 21-3. Despite everything, the experience in these Championship finals plays in favor of Toulouse but the Rochelais could rely on a historic European double. However, Ronan O’Gara’s men have never won a national title.
The Toulouse – La Rochelle match will start at 9 p.m. this Saturday, June 17. It will take place at the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis.
Two channels will broadcast the Top 14 final between Toulouse and La Rochelle this Saturday, June 17. Canal and France 2 have the rights to the meeting.
Two streaming broadcasts will be available to follow this Toulouse – La Rochelle since France.TV and MyCanal will offer this Top 14 final.
The team compositions for this Top 14 final have already been announced. Ugo Mola did not change anything in the starting XV which won against Racing 92 in the semi-finals (41-14). On the other hand, on the bench, Tim Nanaï-Williams and Lucas Tauzin give way to Pierre-Louis Barassi and Juan Cruz Mallia. Toulouse starting XV: Ramos; Retière, Chocobares, Ahki, Lebel; (o) Ntamack, (m) Dupont; Cros, Roumat, Willis; Meafou, Arnold; Aldegheri, Merchant, Baille.
Opposite, the Rochelais also model the starting composition against the Union Bordeaux-Bègles. Affected in the semi-finals, Botia, Bourdeau and Danty are present. Here is the starting XV of Stade Rochelais: Dulin; Leyds, Seuteni, Danty, Rhule; (o) Hastoy, (m) Kerr-Barlow; Botia, Alldritt, Pa. Boudehent; Skelton, Sazy; Atonio, Bourgarit, Wardi.
On sports betting sites, Toulouse are the favorites of the match against La Rochelle. They are at 1.75 on Winamax, the draw is at 21 and the La Rochelle victory is at 2.25. On Parionssport, Ugo Mola’s men are also at 1.75 but the draw is at 20 and the victory of the Rochelais is at 2.20.
