Imperious Dupont guides record-breaking Toulouse to Top 14 final
REPORT: Antoine Dupont was at his influential best as Toulouse thrashed Racing 92, 71-17, on Friday to reach next week’s French Top 14 Final.
Toulouse, bidding for a record-equalling fourth straight title, ran riot in Marseille, posting the largest winning margin in a Top 14 semifinal.
The 24-time champions crossed 10 times in total to set up a final in Paris next Saturday against Montpellier or Stade Francais, who meet in 24 hours’ time in the second semifinal at Stade Velodrome.
“We put in the ingredients to win from the start,” Toulouse flyhalf Romain Ntamack told Canal+.
“The job’s not done yet though but we can be proud tonight.
“We’ll do everything to claim a fourth consecutive title, we’ll be as motivated as ever.”
Racing only mustered an early Antoine Gibert penalty and converted tries for Jordan Joseph and Max Spring, as they failed to reach their first Top 14 final sine 2016, when the Parisian side claimed the last of their six titles.
Toulouse were without goal-kicking fullback Thomas Ramos due to a thigh injury but scrumhalf Dupont played for the first time in more than a month having struggled with a groin niggle.
Racing head coach Patrice Collazo gave former NRL champion Joey Manu a start on the wing while powerful ex-England No.8 Nathan Hughes returned from injury.
Racing opened the scoring with a third-minute penalty from Gibert but the first period, and the rest of the game, belonged to Toulouse.
Dupont’s produced a chip-kick assist to winger Teddy Thomas before flanker Francois Cros, lock Emmanuel Meafou and flanker Jack Willis all crashed over.
Dupont scored just before the break, providing a perfect support line to cruise over before Ntamack slotted the conversion to make it 38-3 at the break.
Racing suffered from their poor discipline, conceding eight penalties and having flanker Maxime Baudonne and centre Josua Tuisova yellow-carded before the break.
The rout continued after the break with five second-half touchdowns from centre Kalvin Gourgues, winger Matthis Lebel, hookers Julien Marchand and Peato Mauvaka and winger Ange Capuozzo.
Dupont was given a standing ovation by the 67,000-strong crowd when he was substituted with half an hour to play, as the focus turned to next weekend’s final in the capital.
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