ASM Romagnat edge Toulouse by one point to top Elite 1 Féminine table

ASM Romagnat finished the AXA Elite 1 Féminine regular season as table leaders on 83 points — one ahead of Stade Toulousain — after the two sides drew 27-27 at Stade Ernest Wallon on the final matchday. The semi-finals take place on June 21, with the final a week later in Biarritz.

The top-versus-second clash proved decisive in the standings. Romagnat had led 24-3 at half-time in Toulouse before the hosts fought back to level, a result that handed the visitors the top seed but served as a timely warning against complacency heading into the post-season.

Romagnant’s regular-season record was formidable: 16 wins, one draw and one defeat, 13 attacking bonus points, a defensive bonus point, and 90 tries scored. France hooker Mathilde Lazarko crossed 14 times, while the club’s defence conceded less than any other side in the division by a considerable margin.

In the semi-finals, Romagnat will host fourth-placed Blagnac, who secured their place in the top four with a 24-10 home win over Lyon on the penultimate weekend. Stade Toulousain, last season’s runners-up, will entertain third-placed Stade Bordelais in what amounts to a second ‘Garonne derby’ of the campaign — a fixture that many felt could have graced the final itself.

Stade Bordelais arrive as the side to beat, having won the title in each of the past three seasons. They are the only team to defeat Toulouse this season, winning 34-29 in Bordeaux in March, though Toulouse took the reverse fixture 29-19 on opening day. The defending champions head into the semi-finals on a four-match winning run, and their selection for the final regular-season outing — a 47-7 victory over Toulon at Stade Mayol — suggested the coaching staff had one eye firmly on the knockout stage.

At the foot of the table, a separate relegation battle between promoted Rugby Club Toulon Provence Méditerranée and Stade Villeneuvois Lille Métropole was settled on the penultimate weekend, with Toulon surviving to retain their top-flight status.