French Top 14 Champions Toulouse kept their unbeaten record alive in this year’s Investec Champions Cup as they thumped Harlequins 47 – 19 at the Stoop.
Mesmerising at times, the French side was a step too far for a Quins team who had recorded a mightily impressive round-one victory over Racing 92.
Reading through the Toulouse starting line-up, it doesn’t take long to realise why the French powerhouse is among the favourites to lift the title at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 20th.
In a squad jam-packed with world-class talents, one name stands above the rest, and that is the other-worldly Antoine Dupont.
The French captain is quite possibly the best player in the world today, and he proved it once again this weekend.
Simply put, Quins could not contain him as he popped up all over the park. Setting up tries left, right and centre, Dupont was the conductor to the Toulouse orchestra.
Now getting set to depart the XV a side game with an eye to representing the French 7s side at the Paris Olympics next summer, Dupont’s departure will leave a glaring hole in Ugo Mola’s squad.
Whilst his departure cannot be underestimated, Toulouse will still have several world-class talents to call upon as the season progresses.
Key among them are French international fullback Thomas Ramos, who is deputising at flyhalf in the absence of the injured Romain Ntamack.
Formerly a flyhalf, it is no surprise that Ramos has looked at home in the number ten shirt as he joined his halfback partner Dupont in setting up some outrageous tries.
Two scores in particular stand out from yesterday’s routing and it is little surprise the duo were involved heavily.
The first was a silky smooth break by Ramos, who snuck through the defensive line before finding Dupont, who set up a quick ruck before Toulouse stretched the Quins’ defence out wide.
Toulouse at their šššššššš best š
It’s all go at The Stoop! @StadeToulousain take the lead again with a beauty in the corner, finished off by Dimitri Delibes š«š·#InvestecChampionsCup | #HARvTLS pic.twitter.com/jnHCIVcDOz
ā Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) December 17, 2023
The second try will almost certainly be a Try Of The Season contender when it is all said and done.
Once again, it was Ramos and Dupont who got the action underway with a searing break down the right-hand touchline before finding Pierre-Louis Barassi, who finished the move off.
One of the best tries you’ll see this weekend š
Sit back and enjoy @StadeToulousain at their counter-attacking best!#InvestecChampionsCup | #HARvTLS pic.twitter.com/ap5QMk5ju8
ā Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) December 17, 2023
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