A last day full of suspense and here is the regular top 14 season completed. With consequences at the top as at the bottom of the ranking. We take stock.
Union Bordeaux-Bègles secures its 2nd place
The Union Bordeaux-Bègles remains on its little cloud. A few weeks after its historic victory in Champions Cup against Northampton Saints, the club offers a new beautiful gift to its supporters by keeping a second place synonymous with direct qualification for the semi-finals of Top 14 (59-28).
Despite the big gap on paper, the RC Vannes defended itself well and even took control of the match twice. Touched, but not sunk, the UBB woke up and secured the victory with the help of Ben Tameifuna (57th), Nicolas Depoortere (59th, 67th), Damian Penaud (34th, 62nd) and Louis Bielle-Biarrey (5th, 64th).
Clermont and Bayonne in the top 6, a huge failure of La Rochelle
If Toulon hoped to play a bad lap in Bordeaux before the start of the multiplex and try to pick him up 2nd place, the Bayonnais rowing finally dominated this Toulon team to ensure its place in the Top 6 (18-10), and thus compete in the championship dams for the first time in its history. Bayonne will even be at home, like Toulon.
Clermont takes advantage of his victory against Montpellier (10-23) and La Rochelle defeat against the Paloise section (32-18) to validate his ticket for the final stages. As a result of all these results, Bayonne and Clermont compete on June 13 to try to join Toulouse in the semi-finals. While Toulon and Castres will cross the iron (June 14) to reach the UBB at the next stadium.
The first eight training courses in the ranking are also qualified as Cup champions: Toulouse stadium, the Union Bordeaux-Bègles, Toulon, Bayonne, Clermont, Castres, La Rochelle and Pau.
The Stade Français Sauvé, Perpignan can still save itself, Vannes relegated
The Stade Français played with fire, but came out (21-10). In its stadium Jean-Bouin, the Parisian club had its destiny in hand, but still took pleasure in scareing its supporters. The evening had started badly with a test of Castres in the 5th minute signed Adrien Seguret. Fortunately for the Stade Français, Paul Alo-Emile (19th) sounded the revolt by reducing the gap by two points.
Before the break, the Parisians were able to blow with a double penalty from Zack Henry to take the advantage at halftime. An advance materialized by a Drop from Zack Henry who was certainly decisive, but has missed a lot of penalties. It was Samuel Ezeala who released the Jean-Bouin stadium with a decisive essay in the 75th minute.
For Perpignan, the hope of staying in the elite still exists. Faced with the Toulouse stadium, the Catalans impressed, and won a fairly prestigious victory against the championship leader thanks to a formidable second period which they completely dominated (42-35). But the victory of the Stade Français prevents Perpignan from directly maintaining its maintenance. The Catalans will therefore have to play the access match against FC Grenoble, defeated in the Pro D2 final this Saturday by Montauban.
For its part Vannes has long believed to make the feat against the Union Bordeaux-Bègles, but the miracle did not take place, and the Bretons descend directly to the lower level.
