O’Gara v Mola an intriguing sidebar to Top 14 final

BLOCKBUSTER FINAL: La Rochelle Head Coach Ronan O'Gara happy his side hold favourites tag as they take on rugby powerhouse Toulouse in the Top 14 final. Pic: XAVIER LEOTY / AFP

Toulouse coach Ugo Mola claimed early dibs on underdog status side ahead of what promises to be a blockbuster Top 14 final against a team he called ‘the best in Europe’ - Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle.

The two coaches have a difficult public relationship. They have faced-off pitchside in the past, and O’Gara recently brusqued-off Mola’s praise of his side’s second Champions Cup crown.

“It's not interesting,” O’Gara snorted after his opposite number said La Rochelle ‘deserved’ their European success in the pre-final week of verbal grenades. “I'm not interested in Ugo Mola's opinion of La Rochelle yesterday, today or tomorrow.” 

Mola smiled off questions about O’Gara’s response in the final round of managerial fisticuffs in which the gloves stayed firmly on. “Sometimes, it's better to keep quiet,” he said. “So I'll keep quiet.

“This is beyond the scope of communication, environments, communication coaches or mental preparation. [Some want] the game to be moved off the pitch. We'll keep it on the pitch.” 

Mola’s 21-time champions finished the regular domestic season top of the table, three points clear of their opponents at Stade de France on Saturday, and 14 ahead of third-placed Stade Francais.

It was the fifth time Toulouse finished the regular season in first place. They lifted the Bouclier de Brennus on the four previous occasions. And they have got the better of La Rochelle 13 times in the past 15 meetings in all competitions - including both finals between the two sides to date, in Toulouse’s double-winning year in 2021.

But Mola made a point of handing the favourites tag to the back-to-back Champions Cup-winners, as he had two years ago.

“The truth is, we're up against the best team in Europe, a team with character,” he said. “We're not going to back down, or look for pressure elsewhere.” 

Perhaps worryingly for Toulouse, O’Gara was happy enough to accept the mantle this time around. “For me we are favourites,” he told reporters of a perfect final match-up between the two best sides in France. “If we play our game, no team can beat us, and that gives us confidence.” 

Captain Gregory Alldritt, too, was happy to discuss the weight of anticipation among the club and the players. “We love playing this kind of game,” he said. “Do we feel uncomfortable? I don't know. We validated our title as European champions and, now, we’re under positive pressure. Everyone's focused and determined to go and get something more.

“It would be a big disappointment for the club to lose this final. We all have the same objective: to get out on the pitch and try to win this title.” 

Fabien Galthie will be watching closely, with several players in his thinking for the World Cup - La Rochelle’s Reda Wardi, Antoine Hastoy, Pierre Bourgarit and Brice Dulin will all want to make a point against early names on Les Bleus’ teamsheets Cyrill Baille, Romain Ntamack, Julien Marchand and Thomas Ramos.

As will Toulouse’s Alexandre Roumat, son of former France international Olivier, who goes toe-to-toe with Alldritt at eight, and tighthead Dorian Aldegheri - who is currently behind La Rochelle’s Uini Atonio in Galthie’s reckoning.

Galthie will also watch out for Toulouse’s man mountain Emmanuel Meafou, up against combined rock and hard-place Will Skelton. France have asked World Rugby about the Australian-born Meafou’s eligibility in the hope that he will be available for selection in time for the World Cup.

But for 80,000 fans in Stade de France, and many more watching on TV, September is a long way off - and there’s a Top 14 final to decide.” As Mola said: “To beat La Rochelle today, you have to be at 100 percent. It will take a great Toulouse [performance]. It will be a final, I hope, high in intensity and that everyone will get their money's worth”.

Toulouse: 15 Ramos; 14 Retière, 13 Chocobares, 12 Ahki, 11 Lebel; 10 Ntamack, 9 Dupont (cap); 7 Cros, 8 Roumat, 6 Willis; 5 Meafou, 4 Arnold; 3 Aldegheri, 2 Marchand, 1 Baille.

Replacements: 16 Mauvaka, 17 Neti, 18 Flament, 19 Placines, 20 Tolofua, 21 Barassi, 22 Mallia, 23 Faumuina 

La Rochelle: 15 Dulin; 14 Leyds, 13 Seuteni, 12 Danty, 11 Rhule; 10 Hastoy, 9 Kerr-Barlow; 7 Botia, 8 Alldritt (cap), 6 Paul Boudehent; 5 Skelton, 4 Sazy; 3. Atonio, 2 Bourgarit, 1 Wardi.

Replacements: 16 Lespiaucq, 17 Sclavi, 18 Lavault, 19 Dillane, 20 Bourdeau, 21 Berjon, 22 Favre, 23 Colombe.