The local La Depeche newspaper in Toulouse proclaimed Toulouse’s historic achievement with the headline, ‘A sixth star following a nail-biting deadlock! The process through which Toulouse arrived at its historical triumph’. It covered the piece by Phillippe Lauga who foresaw an enchanting conclusion, characterised by complete dedication and suspense despite the lack of a dramatic play.
The game’s progression was reported as stressful followed by a tormenting phase, then yet again stressful. Nevertheless, the entire experience was spellbinding because it secured Stade Toulousain’s sixth star victory. This marked the second victory for the present generation, contributing to Stade Toulousain’s one-third of the European heritage.
Consequently, Leinster, another European giant, lost its most recent four finals, meaning the Irish province is yet to break its consecutive losses. On the flip side, Stade continues to uphold its winning streak in all competition finals which now amounts to nine.
Lauga esteemed the Toulouse protection, attributing the victorious final to it. He explained that with an impressive 240 tackles, the defence played a key part in the match. Jack Willis, with his bravery, team spirit, and remarkable defensive sequences, significantly contributed to the defence, claims Lauga.
An intriguing narrative of the changing room scene following the victory was also offered by Toulouse’s substitute, Thomas Ramos, stating that it was filled with joy, pride, and exhilaration. He described the mood as relaxing with many players sat down, staring into space, attempting to process the reality of their long-standing achievements.
Similarly, Nicolas Zanardi wrote in Midi Olympique that Toulouse’s win over Leinster also attributes to some objective factors, although it may appear to be luck or magic. He applauded the French club’s legendary ability to resist without breaking during almost all of their recent finals.
Most importantly, he marked the club’s eternal knack for delivering a deadly score just-in-time, demonstrated by their triumphant strike on Lebel’s try. During the 20 short seconds while outnumbering 15 against 13, they managed a successful strike against Leinster’s rush defence.
The observation was made that while Leinster may have been on the wrong side of a few decisions, the weakness in their replacement line-up was a more notable factor. Importantly, in a final, the ability to secure victory is more crucial than the methods employed. In this context, the team of Ugo Mola outshone Jacques Nienaber’s men, especially during the decisive extra time, once again highlighting the deficiencies of the Irish substitutes – they were more backups than game changers.
Zanardi noted that Toulouse claimed their sixth victory after a monumental match. While Toulouse’s head coach, Ugo Mola, confessed to feeling uncertain during certain periods of the game, he praised his team for maintaining a composed, serene, and focused demeanour. He said, “This is the first instance since our initial victory in 1996 where we’ve triumphed over a non-local team in the finals, one of the top performing teams lately. Naturally, it adds a unique touch.”
The Midi Olympique described the outstanding final with the title ‘Dupont unstoppable, Willis inexhaustible’. Marc Duzan penned a remarkable comment stating that the championship offered everything exemplary in rugby: a fierce battle, unexpected developments, moments of suspense that rendered the weary spectators eerily silent, and an intense atmosphere fitting for the grand competition, far surpassing Super Rugby and its horrifying displays performed in vacant arenas.
France’s leading sports newspaper, L’Equipe, celebrated Antoine Dupont, the player of the match and the tournament, with the headline ‘Pure Joy’, reflecting his emotions following the victory. Additional epithets included ‘The Masters of Europe’, ‘Dupont irresistible, Willis essential’ and ‘Crazy match, heroic defence, suffocating overtime: the secret behind Toulouse’s 6th European Cup victory.’
In summarising the event, Laurent Campistron said, “One does not win nine consecutive finals by chance. It demonstrates expertise, a knack for winning, the mentality of a team that never surrenders, that is inherently competitive and responds instinctively whenever history presents an opportunity to ascend to greater heights.”
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