Champions Cup: Antoine Dupont’s Toulouse impress, South African sides disappoint – weekend review
Overall, it was a step forward for the English clubs and a memorable weekend for the South African side, with Toulouse moving on with minimal trouble and at the highest level.
They scored 61 points and scored nine tries in a win over Ulster last weekend and improved further in a 64-21 win over Exeter, crossing the line 10 times. .
The European champions secured a bonus point before half-time in Devon, effectively claiming victory, but did not let up after the break. After scoring five shots in the first half, they also scored five in the second half.
Antoine Dupont’s try came in the eighth minute, performing a masterclass pass to find space where none seemed to exist and open doors that seemed locked. The Sandy Park crowd watched with a mixture of despair and awe as he worked his magic.
Shortly after the game, Toulouse head coach Hugo Moura addressed his players on the pitch with a satisfied look on his face. People took note of the message – don’t relax even if the game is won.
In post-match TV interviews, the players said all the right things. Center Pierre-Louis Barassi was named man of the match, scoring twice and making a fine run around half-time to set up Matthis Lebel. ) scored, but he only expressed happiness for the team.
Blair Kinghorn, who came on as a substitute to score and create another chance, spoke of how the quality of the squad meant there was no room to relax in training if you wanted to get into the game.
But perhaps the man who best sums up the thinking within the Toulouse camp is flanker Jack Willis.
“We made some incredible memories last year,” he told Premier League Sport. “But we know the target is on our back and we know we have to be better than we were last year.”
No team has ever been able to achieve a major victory in the pool stage and win the trophy. But Willis knew this. So did his teammates. That’s why the other big names in European rugby should be worried.
