Toulouse were supposed to be full of doubts. The red-and-black season, without the Champions Cup and with a Dupont sidelined since 9 May, was said to be turning sour. And then came this Friday evening at the Vélodrome, where the three-time French champions answered every question with the same sentence: 71-17. Racing 92, who came for the upset, went home with the heaviest beating ever handed out at this stage of the competition.

A first half to settle the match

Antoine Gibert had got the Paris side off to an ideal start, a penalty as early as the 2nd minute (3-0). The only moment Racing would lead. By the 6th, Dupont slipped a pinpoint kick-pass through for Teddy Thomas, and the machine went into overdrive: Cros (11′), Meafou (19′), Willis (29′) then Dupont himself (36′). Five tries, five Ntamack conversions, one penalty: 38-3 at the break. And along the way, two Racing men in the bin (yellows for Maxime Baudonne on 26 minutes and Josua Tuisova on 34). At half-time, on the Canal+ microphone, Gibert summed up the evening in one blunt line: “I have nothing to say.”

Dupont, the comeback that silenced everyone

That was THE question: in what shape would the best number 9 in the world return, unseen since 9 May and a match also played… at the Vélodrome, against Toulon? The answer came in half an hour of pure command: a genius kick-pass for Thomas, a try of his own, total control of the tempo. On 50 minutes, Mola could even take him off in comfort, legs saved for the final. The criticism of his form? Gone up in smoke.

The Chocobares blow (and the Gourgues irony)

The only Toulouse grimace of the evening has a name: Santiago Chocobares. On the end of a high tackle from Tuisova, the Argentine centre failed his head injury assessment and made way at half-time. His replacement? Kalvin Gourgues, who cheekily scored two minutes after coming on (42′). A week out from the final, that is the only file open on Mola’s desk.

The second half, a formality

The rest was nothing but a demonstration: Lebel (45′), Marchand (54′), Mauvaka (68′) and Capuozzo (73′) pushed the count up to a round ten tries, with Ntamack finishing the night flawless off the tee. Racing, down to fourteen for a third time (yellow for Ravutaumada on 62 minutes), eventually salvaged some pride through Jordan Joseph (70′) and Max Spring (76′), both converted by Ugo Seunes. A last stand for the record books.

And now, the quadruple

Three-time reigning French champions, Toulouse march on to another final, next weekend at the Stade de France, with a historic fourth straight title in their sights. Their opponents will come out of the other semi, between Montpellier and Stade Français. We wanted an answer from Toulouse: we got a manifesto.