Aviron Bayonnais beat Stade Toulousain 12-8 at home on Sunday evening to close out Round 9 of the Top 14. Read on to find out more about the match’s highlights and lowlights.
TOPS
Sireli Maqala, Bayonne’s saviour
The strong man of the 12-8 Aviron victory over Stade Toulousain. The Fijian scored twice in this meetingThe first came on the quarter-hour mark (15′) and the second in the dying minutes (78′). An achievement synonymous with victory and deliverance for the Basques. The three-quarter-center had a feel for the good times and put his explosive ball-in-hand to good use.
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Top 14: After a wild finish, Bayonne continue to impress with victory over Toulouse
Decimated Stade Toulousain didn’t give up the ghost
Despite the absence of eight of its French internationals, led by Antoine Dupont, held back with the XV de France in Marcoussis for the November tests, the Stade has (clearly) nothing to be ashamed of. The Haut-Garonnais put up a fierce fight and came within minutes of winning at Jean-Dauger. Ugo Mola can afford to rotate his team, given the depth and richness of Toulouse’s squad. More experienced players in Top 14 such as Pita Ahki, Dorian Aldegheri, Ange Cauozzo (who’s on fire at the moment) and Mathis Castro-Ferreira, who already proved his worth during the “doubling up” period last season, have been able to replace youngsters starting at kick-off (Dimitri Delibes and Léo Banos). Stade de France fans need not worry: with such quality and abundance of players, the French champions will even cope with this period of “doubling up”.
Xan Mousques, the will-o’-the-wisp
The (very) young Aviron player showed off his vivacity and speed on Sunday evening. The Bayonne full-back was denied a try just before the break (40′), and never stopped offering solutions in the heart of the game. The 19-year-old Basque finished the match with 41 meters of ball-in-hand. A (more than) promising player.
FLOPS
Toulouse’s touch adrift
Stade Toulousain’s (big) weak point on Sunday evening. Ugo Mola’s men were thwarted no less than four times in touch, each time in the opponents’ 22 meters, on important try opportunities. Baptiste Chouzenoux harvested a veritable harvest of Toulousain balls.
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Bayonne-Toulouse: relive the Basque triumph in the final minutes against the Rouge et Noir
The Rouge et Noir cursed at Jean-Dauger
It’s not just in Castres that the Haut-Garonnais are cursed. With this latest defeat in the Basque country, the Stadistes have not won at Jean-Dauger for four years. As was the case last season, the Toulousans came within minutes of winning, but were finally toppled by the valiant Bayonnais, who continue to impress with a very convincing start to the season and a deserved fourth place in the championship.