Top 14 Rugby No. 1 Toulouse vs No. 2 Pau: 10 Things To Know About The Match
Top 14 Rugby No. 1 Toulouse vs No. 2 Pau: 10 Things To Know About The Match
Top 14 leader Toulouse hosts upstart Pau in the biggest match of the season, as both clubs sit level on wins. Here’s what to know about the clash in France.
The biggest match in rugby this week will throw down in southeast France, as Toulouse, the back-to-back-to-back Top 14 champion, takes on upstart Pau in one of the biggest Top 14 match of the season.
Toulouse, 10-0-4 with 48 match points, will host Pau, 10-0-4 with 47 match points, at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 24, at Stade Ernest-Wallon.
All eyes will be on this match, partly because Pau’s 30-26 win over Toulouse on Oct. 25 has been a defining victory for the club so far. That home win came while Toulouse still was missing Antoine Dupont, and it marked Pau’s first win over Toulouse in nearly two years.
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Toulouse went nearly a decade without losing a pool match but lost twice this time around.
Pau was, at the very least, a favorite to finish in the top 4 of its pool, but instead will join a group of elite EPCR Challenge Cup qualifiers after falling out of Champions Cup contention.
In Top 14 play, both clubs have found overwhelming success at home, while all of their losses have come on the road. Toulouse has lost just twice at Stade Ernest-Wallon since 2022, making the task even more daunting for Pau.
Here are 10 things to know about this matchup:
🏉 1. League Context — Top-2 Clash
Toulouse and Pau sit first and second in the Top 14 standings going into this Round 15 match — Toulouse on 48, Pau on 47 points — making this a de facto battle for early position at the summit.
🔥 2. Recent Toulouse vs. Pau History
In their recent encounters, Toulouse has the edge historically, but Pau beat Toulouse 30-26 away earlier this season with a last-gasp try, showing Pau can compete and win in big moments.
📊 3. 2025-2026 Season Form For Toulouse, Pau
- Toulouse: Mixed recent form — big wins and some tight losses (e.g., loss to Perpignan, big win vs La Rochelle).
- Pau: Also inconsistent but capable of dangerous attacking rugby (e.g., high-scoring wins).
Both sides have shown they can score points but also be breached defensively at times.
🧠 4. Tactical Toulouse vs. Pau Matchup
This clash is archetypal Top 14: Toulouse’s structured, high-tempo attack vs. Pau’s gritty defense and opportunistic edge play. Expect the breakdown and set-piece battles, especially scrums and line-outs, to be decisive.
🧱 5. Pau Rugby Strengths
Strong forward pack and physical intensity (has beaten Toulouse before).
Good attacking balance — capable of putting teams under pressure across 80 minutes.
📏 6. Toulouse Attacking Power
Toulouse boasts elite backs and strike threats in wide channels and off quick recycling. Key playmakers can change the game, particularly in counterattacks and close support lines.
🔄 7. Toulouse vs. Pau Lineups/Team News Timing
Official team sheets for Top 14 matches normally are published 24-48 hours before kickoff and still can change up to an hour prior. No confirmed lineups were available yet from the official Top 14 as of Jan. 22.
🧪 8. Toulouse vs. Pau Injury And Squad Notes
Toulouse: Superstar Antoine Dupont recently returned to action after a long injury layoff and is reintegrating into the squad. His presence (or limited minutes) could tip the game.
Pau: Joe Simmonds suffered a calf injury last season and was ruled out for several weeks; squad fitness for January depends on recent recovery.
📈 9. Psychological Edge & Momentum
Toulouse’s recent 77-7 demolition of the Sale Sharks in the Champions Cup showed they can explode for points when dialed in — and confidence from European performance might carry over.
Pau’s confidence will be high, too, having beaten Toulouse once already this season — the psychological tick from that win shouldn’t be underestimated.
📌 10. Match Stakes
Beyond league positioning, this fixture has playoff implications: a win here puts either side in strong title contention, and the winner could grab control of the Top 14 race going into February fixtures.
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