Women’s Elite 1 Rugby: Stade Toulousain at the top of the rankings

The Toulouse women won on Saturday afternoon on the lawn of the French vice-champions (10-7) after an intense and exciting derby between two of the best teams in the Elite 1 women’s championship.

Fourth day of Elite 1 Women. In pool 2, shock at the top coupled with a derby. In the left corner, Blagnac RC, vice-champions 13 points. Three matches, three victories, and less than 12 points conceded per game. In the right corner, Stade Toulousain 1st in ranking 15 points.

For their first attacking ball, the Stadistes pushed aside Murie, but she was caught by her opposite number Lainé (4th). Blagnac tried to energize: penalty played quickly by scrum half Lenoir, then new penalty for a high tackle by Hermet on fly-half Queyroi. However, no point came to sanction the “caouec” domination.

The penalty obtained allowed the Stadium to come to the opposing camp for the first time. Winning move since after a good ball carried around the ex-Blagnac Escudero, Bordes (replaced in 10) played on the left side. At the reception, Lainé made a mistake, which Murie immediately took advantage of. Ball picked up for a try marked with opportunism (0-5, 11th).

Blagnac RC moved forward again. Relaunch orchestrated by Lainé and Boulard, relay from the third line center Khaiza, then return to the right side to Lainé, definitely in every move at the start of the match. Penalty gleaned, on which the penalty option provided a great opportunity. Maul was dominant, Viarouge came in percussion, then Berthoumieu. Served in the line, Queyroi played over the top for Boulard, but the international full-back could not control the ball and Toulouse broke free.

Nearly twenty fouls committed and yellows as if it were raining. Or thirty minutes outnumbered. But aside from that, what a match!

A few moments later, Toulouse lost their full-back Barrat, hit in the right ankle. She was replaced by Vergnaud. Another change, rather tactical: the left-handed Cros gave up her position to Dedy. Despite all these changes, the Toulouse machine did not go out of order. Better: she still found the fault. Scratching from Dedy, ball wide, long play at the cross foot of the three-quarter center Fernandez under whom Arbey rushed. The winger caught the ball on a volley and scored her team’s second try (0-10, 33rd).

The other “little” (so to speak!) wonder on the visitor side is called Kelly Arbey. The horizon darkened for all the exterior attendants who vainly tried to overwhelm or collide head-on with the former member of Castres Olympique, who had, it is true, exceptional physical means.
Still, two tests that fell from the sky allowed the protégés of Olivier Marin, Laure Sansus-Bourdon and Céline Ferrer to take the lead, a determining parameter on a terrain favoring the designs of the one who defends his advantage, however slim be it.

The third line fought hard, fought back and scored strongly (which shows, it’s not all a matter of heredity), bringing their team back into the game. Queyroi added the two points of the transformation (7-10, 38th). In stoppage time, Blagnac launched a new attack. Served on the right side, Boulard was the victim of a tackle considered high by Deschamps. Yellow card for the Rouge et Noir hooker (40th). Nothing more to report until the break.

New axial progression, but ball escaped near the goal. The Toulouse counterattack was organized thanks to the foot play of Bordes. Boulard, deceived by the rebound, saw herself grilled by Arbey. The action started well, but hooker Bigot put an end to it with a superb scratch on the ground (54th).

The last 20 minutes saw the Blagnacaises try to get back in front. However, the Toulouse defense controlled the line play well, conceding little ground. On the contrary, thanks to the good play at the foot of Bordes, the Toulouse women occupied the camp of their opponents and were not really in difficulty.

With this success, the Rouge et Noir consolidate their first place. Enough to spend the end-of-year holidays warm and cozy before hosting the Amazons of Grenoble at the end of January.

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Gabriel MIHAI

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