Record four-time European champions Toulouse face a spicey Top 14 play-off semi-final against Clermont after a row broke out between rival players over a stamp.
Clermont’s Canadian international Jamie Cudmore took to Twitter to brand Toulouse wing Yoann Huget a “coward” for a vicious stamp on Bordeaux-Begles’s Jandre Marais during the last match of the regular season.
A video of the incident, which has gone viral on social media, appears to show what seems to be a very clear and deliberate stamp from Huget on the prone South African lock’s face.
The referee missed the incident and Huget was not even cited following the game, meaning he was allowed to play in last weekend’s narrow play-off quarter-final victory over Oyonnax.
But second row Cudmore was incensed by what he saw.
“Run of play is one thing but intentionally stepping on someone’s face is another level! What a coward,” he wrote.
There has been no reaction from Toulouse, although the English press has jumped on the story, provoking cries of skullduggery in France where many comments on social media accuse the English of trying to get Huget banned from the World Cup in September and October.
In some ways, it’s overshadowing what could yet prove a glorious swansong to the great career of Toulouse coach Guy Noves, who will take over the France reins following the World Cup.
Noves himself has denied his departure will have any impact on his players.
“They don’t care about that, they’re preparing for a semi-final,” said the 61-year-old, who has spent his entire career as both player and coach at his home-town club, aiming for a 20th French title but first since 2012.
“I would also like to offer them a dignified departure. We can say what we like but at the end of the day I think the players need to be very selfish, to think of themselves.
“They’re young lads, going through an incredible adventure, they’re better off making the most of it rather than thinking about the oldies.”
Beaten European Champions Cup finalists Clermont host Toulouse on Saturday having rested last week as they had a bye straight into the last four.
But the Top 14 semi-final action begins on Friday night with Stade Francais travelling to European champions Toulon.
Bernard Laporte’s team are aiming for their second successive double having beaten Castres in the final last year shortly after defeating Saracens in the European Cup final.
Toulon are the overwhelming favourites having won three straight European titles and reached the last three Top 14 finals – although they lost 18-12 to Toulouse in 2012 and 19-14 to Castres a year later, before beating the same opponents 18-10 last year.
Like Clermont, who finished second in the regular season, league leaders Toulon had last weekend off while Stade Francais were putting Parisian rivals Racing-Metro to the sword 38-15 in the quarter-finals.
For Toulon, it has been a case of trying not to let their intensity drop in the intervening period.
“We have to keep a bit of intensity, otherwise you lose it very quickly,” prop Alexandre Menini told the club website when discussing training these last two weeks.
The reigning champions may be heavily favoured at their Mayol home ground but if there is one warning sign, it is that Stade Francais did the double on them this season.
Having won 28-24 at Mayol in September, the Parisians romped to a 30-6 victory at the Stade Jean-Bouin in December.
Stade Francais’s veteran wing Julien Arias believes young players such as fly-half Jules Plisson, lock Alexandre Flanquart, prop Rabah Slimani or full-backs Hugo Bonneval and Djibril Camara will help everyone keep calm in the build-up.
“They don’t worry too much about consequences, they really live in the present,” said the 31-year-old.
“And in their wake, it’s the whole group that has benefitted from their freshness.”
Top 14 semi-final fixtures (UAE time):
Friday
Toulon v Stade Francais (10.45pm)
Saturday
Clermont v Toulouse (6.15pm)
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