Dupont the talisman yet again as ROG and La Rochelle comeback runs out of time

Toulouse's French fly-half Romain Ntamack spots the gap between two La Rochelle players.

Toulouse 33 La Rochelle 28

Antoine Dupont demonstrated again why he is the best player in the world as Toulouse shattered La Rochelle’s Top 14 title hopes with a 33-28 bang in the opening match of the play-offs to set up a semi-final derby against Castres in Nice on Friday.

The scrum-half - whose form has been a bubbling topic in recent weeks - made one try and scored another as Toulouse casually ripped the visitors apart in the opening 12 minutes, and was a perma-threat in spite of the close attention of the Rochelais’ defenders.

Ihaia West, so reliable against Leinster a fortnight ago, missed a penalty in front of the posts and kicked out on the full in the opening exchanges before Peato Mauvaka’s sublime no-look pass from a maul on halfway freed Dupont to burst deep into La Rochelle territory.

He was hauled down short of the line, but Pierre Fouyssac was on hand to slide over with nine minutes on the clock.

Three minutes later, Dupont crossed in the corner after galloping giraffe Rory Arnold’s break sliced La Rochelle’s usually miserly defence apart a second time.

Toulouse were a world away from the side that crumbled in the Champions Cup semi-final against Leinster. Then, they were guilty of letting Johnny Sexton run the show. In a packed and partisan Stade Ernest Wallon, they were urgent and determined, never letting Ronan O’Gara’s visitors’ settle.

Some of that difference was tactical. Some of it was the bloody-mindedness common to defending champions. Some of it was - relative - freshness. They headed to Leinster on the back of five big, draining games at the end of a long run without a break.

They played La Rochelle after a week off and what was effectively a training ground match against Biarritz. The visitors booked passage to the barrage round with a hard-fought comeback 29-26 win at Lyon, a week after their Champions Cup win in Marseille, which itself followed crucial games against Stade Francais, Racing 92, Montpellier, and Toulouse.

La Rochelle - bloody-minded champions themselves now - went down fighting.

Wiann Liebenberg pulled a score back after 25 minutes; and Gregory Alldritt burst off the back of a five-metre scrum 15 minutes into the second half to pull the visitors to within a score.

A re-energised Toulouse would not be stopped. Six minutes later, Juan Cruz Mallia forced his way to the tryline after picking Thomas Ramos’s crossfield kick out of the air. And Romain Ntamack settled the match 10 minutes from time, after replacement Selevasio Tolofua danced around and through the visitors’ defenders.

La Rochelle would have the final word - two, in fact - with Pierre Bourgarit crashing over two minutes from time, and Jules Favre crossing with seconds left on the clock after Levani Botia tore a hole the size of Blagnac through the Toulouse defence. 

But the defiance was too late.

TOULOUSE: Ramos (Epee 72’), Mallia, Fouyssac (Germain 66’), Ahki, Lebel; Ntamack, Dupont; Elstadt (Tolofua 61’), Jelonch (Mauvaka 80’), Cros (Flament 21’); Ri Arnold (Meafou 57’), Ro Arnold; Aldegheri (Mallez 60’, Aldegheri 76’), Mauvaka (Marchand 52’), Baille (Ainu'u 54’).

LA ROCHELLE: Dulin, Leyds, Sinzelle (Danty 48’), Botia, Rhule (Retiere 52’); West, Berjon (Favre 69’); Haddad, Alldritt (Bourgarit 73’), Liebenberg (Bourdeau 65’); Skelton, Lavault (Sazy 52’); Atonio (Sclavi 52’), Bourgarit (Bosch 52’), Priso (Wardi 52’).