Toulouse has once again cemented its legendary status in French rugby, clinching a record-extending 24th French Top 14 title in a nail-biting 39-33 extra-time win over Bordeaux-Begles on Saturday. The hero of the night was full-back Thomas Ramos, who slotted two dramatic penalty goals in extra-time, sealing the historic victory.
Ramos’s ice-cold kicks secured Toulouse’s third consecutive Top 14 triumph and their eleventh consecutive final victory across all competitions. He was absolutely clinical, scoring a remarkable 24 points in total. This win also denied Bordeaux-Begles a coveted domestic and continental double, as they had just lifted the Champions Cup last month. Interestingly, Bordeaux-Begles had also knocked Toulouse out of the Champions Cup semifinals earlier this year.
A Dramatic Comeback and Close Calls
The final, held at the Stade de France, was a true battle. Bordeaux-Begles faced some challenges, with lock Guido Petti and flanker Pierre Bochaton both receiving yellow cards. Despite this, scrum-half Maxime Lucu kicked a crucial penalty in the 80th minute, sending the game into extra-time. Lucu’s kick capped an impressive comeback for Bordeaux-Begles, who had trailed by 10 points with just as many minutes left to play.
Bordeaux-Begles welcomed back on-fire winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey, making his first appearance since June 7 after recovering from a concussion. He was the only change from their semifinal win. Meanwhile, Toulouse head coach Ugo Mola stuck with the same lineup from their last victory, even with scrum-half Antoine Dupont still sidelined by a serious knee injury.
Intense Battle from the Start
The match kicked off with a breathless opening quarter in almost 30-degree Celsius heat, with the teams level at 6-6 as Lucu and Ramos exchanged penalties. This was a stark contrast to last season’s final between the same teams, when Toulouse quickly built a dominant 21-0 lead.
The physicality of the game was evident early on when Petti received a yellow card after half an hour as Toulouse pressed Bordeaux-Begles’ line. By halftime, both defenses had been breached, with Toulouse holding a narrow 20-16 advantage. No. 8 Anthony Jelonch and flanker Jack Willis scored tries for Toulouse, while winger Damian Penaud crossed for a sublime effort for Bordeaux-Begles.
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