Former players from Stade Toulousain and Toulouse FC gathered at the Municipal Stadium in Balma to play a charity match honoring Christophe Revault, Maleli Kunavore, and Bryan Bergougnoux. Played in front of 1,000 spectators under strong winds, the hybrid football and rugby event raised funds for the charity Un maillot pour la vie.
Charity Match Honors Late Toulouse Sports Figures
The gathering brought together retired stars from Toulouse’s rugby and football clubs to commemorate figures who passed away in recent years. Christophe Revault was with Toulouse FC, Maleli Kunavore was with Stade Toulousain, and Bryan Bergougnoux died in May. Maryline Dieuze, co-director of Un maillot pour la vie, stated that the event united former players to remember athletes who left too soon while supporting children’s causes. Franck Alazet of Stade Toulousain and Pantxi Sirieix decided to contribute to their memory, ensuring all collected funds directly benefited the association.
Football Half Dominated by Toulouse FC Veterans
The match format required athletes to play one half of football and one half of rugby. During the opening football period, former Stade Toulousain players struggled to break through against the football veterans. Maëlle Picut, an ex-international, admitted she felt out of place on the pitch, noting that while her football skills were lacking, she enjoyed testing new tactics and a different athletic mindset. By halftime, Toulouse FC established a commanding 7-0 lead. Julien Bonnaire, coach of the footballers, noted on the stadium speaker that he ideally wanted a ten-goal cushion before switching codes.
Rugby Period and Final Outcome
The second half shifted to rugby, played as touch rugby where tackles were prohibited. Michel Marfaing explained the rules during the break, following the late arrival of Joe Tekori. Vincent Clerc, the recordman of tries in Top 14, noted that participants felt far more comfortable handling the oval ball. Stade Toulousain quickly narrowed the deficit as each try counted for one point, sparking hopes of a comeback under the watchful eye of club president Didier Lacroix. However, Julien Cardy thwarted the comeback by scoring a hat-trick of tries and securing an intercept to seal the result for the football side.