World Footy News

The Toulouse Hawks have made it back to back French titles in their home city overnight, defeating the Paris Cockerels in a stirring match. The final score of 104 to 62 suggested a big win, but the Cockerels never stopped taking the game up to the Hawks.

Words on the Perpignan Tigers Facebook page summed up the feelings well: “The new shield will return to the Toulouse Hawks who prevailed 104-62 against the Parisians. Kudos [go] to the Hawks for their domination in this [season’s] championship (unbeaten) and to the Parisians who fought to the end.”

For the Toulouse team the day marks their first ever championship match victory, though the records show back to back titles. Last season’s victory was achieved without the ultimate match of the year being played, the title awarded after the match could not go ahead for reasons discussed in a previous WFN article Hawks v Cockerels battle for French premiership glory.

That was the maiden championship for Toulouse, but yesterday’s victory is the first time the team has enjoyed the experience of playing an opponent on field to win the battle based on talent, courage, strength and commitment – one of the best feelings in football.

Whilst the Paris Cockerels will certainly have heavy hearts after being runners-up for consecutive seasons, even they would acknowledge that the Toulouse team did little wrong all season on the way to glory. Toulouse won all six of their home and away matches, then defeated the Cergy-Pontoise Coyotes in the semi-final, before defeating the Cockerels in the championship match – a perfect undefeated season.

The Toulouse Hawks will now have the off season to plan for a three-peat effort in the 2014/5. For the Paris Cockerels, they now have that time to plot the demise of the Hawks and the rise of the Cockerels.

But that is next season. For now the plaudits rest with the Toulouse Hawks – 2013/4 French Champions.