Ile-de-France rugby sits at the top of the Top 14 this Saturday evening. After the demonstration at the start of the evening at Stade Français against Castres (39-16), Racing 92 did not impress in the same way, but also won against LOU in the final moments (22-20 ) and joins its neighbor at the top of the ranking.
Nothing was easy at the U Arena for the Ciel et Blanc, although they were very solid last week during their great victory in Montpellier (16-19). Still deprived of Cameron Woki and Gaël Fickou, both on the bench, the Racingmen suffered from the start against the Lyonnais of Romain Taofifenua and Baptiste Couilloud, also present at the World Cup with the XV of France. The international scrum half, in fact, was the first to find the fault in the Ile-de-France defense, surprised at the start of the line-up on a throw-in, before missing two tackles to let the LOU number 9 flatten into a corner (0-5 , 22nd).
Woki and Fickou return
Stung, Racing 92 took barely two minutes to raise its head thanks to the Fijian Inia Tabuavou, well served on a skipped pass, before finding an interval in the last line of opposing defense (5-5, 24th). Impeccable on the feet, Tristan Tedder allowed his team to stay in front until the break with his 100% on the feet (10-8).
But this Jet Racing in the first did not return in a better state in the second period. After seeing LOU go back in front on a new penalty from Paddy Jackson (10-11, 44th), Stuart Lancaster’s men responded with their second try of the match thanks to Thomas Laclayat after good pick and go work from the forwards (15-11, 46th). The ping-pong game between the two teams ultimately benefited Lyon, who were cleaner in this match.
Too often penalized (9 penalties conceded against 5), particularly on the ground, even after the entry into play of Woki and Fickou in the 51st minute, the Racingmen conceded 9 points in just over 10 minutes (15-20, 61st ) and let the LOU make a first mini-break in the match, without being very dangerous. Behind the score, the Racingmen pushed but made a mistake like this forward from Francis Saili in the opposing 22m, seven minutes from time.
We finally had to wait until the last action of the match, in the 80th minute, just before the siren sounded for the work of the Ile-de-France forwards to pay off. For one of the first constructed actions of the match, without a hand fault, it was finally Tristan Tedder, the man of the match for Côte Racing, to find the interval 10 m from the line to go and flatten (20-20).
The transformation almost in front of the post was given, but for the sake of form the number 15 of Ciel et Blanc waited to hear the siren to seal the victory for his team (22-20). “We re-mobilized. We saw the role of the newcomers who brought a lot of freshness. It is solidarity that takes precedence. We didn’t give up. A match is 80 minutes. You always have to hang on. It’s nice to win like that in front of the public,” said Wenceslas Lauret on Canal+ at the end of the match. A big sigh of relief for Racing 92, new leader almost perfectly tied with Stade Français!
