Champions Cup: Toulouse comes out on top against Bath and will host Racing 92 in the round of 16

Toulouse, thanks in particular to a double from Thomas Ramos, concluded its Champions Cup group stage on Saturday with a fourth improved victory, against Bath (31-19), which should make its task easier for the rest of the competition. His full card (20 points out of 20 possible) gives him the privilege of being assured of reaching the semi-final. As long as you go that far.

Because a major obstacle will stand in its way from the round of 16 at the beginning of April, with an opponent as familiar as it is dangerous, Racing 92, current leader of the Top 14. The five-time European champions are also (and above all?) assured not to meet the Irish from Leinster before the final, against whom they have come up against twice in the last four in the last two seasons. After having in turn martyred Cardiff (52-7), Harlequins (47-19) and Ulster (48-24), with seven tries in each match, Stade Toulouse this time produced a slightly messier copy. .

Heckled by the 3rd in the English championship, who came with intentions, he was hooked until the end and this fourth try, a bonus, scored by Argentine winger Juan Cruz Mallia after a superb jump pass from his opener Thomas Ramos (68th). This more complicated match could paradoxically reassure manager Ugo Mola, who was worried during the week about the declining “level of awareness” of his players when everything was going too well. Under a beautiful winter sun, the Rouge et Noir got off to a perfect start, with two good tries in the first ten minutes.

The first by Emmanuel Meafou, at the conclusion of a major collective action (6th), four days after being summoned to the French team to prepare for the Six Nations Tournament. The second thanks to a first beautiful gesture from Ramos, a great football fan, author of a “big bridge” over the last English defender (9th). We then thought Toulouse was heading towards a new European adventure, but its difficulties on the lineout, its indiscipline and its few defensive generosity left Finn Russell's teammates in the match.

The score of parity at the break (19-19), with three tries on each side and a shared refusal to attempt penalties, held for a long time in the second act. Until Mallia's try and a fifth, for the road, from Ramos (77th), in international form before the Tournament despite an unusual lack of success against the poles (2 out of 5).