The scenario seemed ideal. Before the fury of an overexcited Bayonne team, pushed by a burning public, takes everything away. Racing, leader of the Top 14 which seemed set for a rather quiet success, could not resist. On the lawn of the Jean-Dauger stadium in Bayonne, the Ile-de-France residents were swept away in a breathtaking final (27-23). On a monumental try concluded by winger Rémy Baget at the last minute.
The Sky and White, however, thought they had succeeded, taking advantage of a regenerating break. A quick ski trip for Siya Kolisi, the third row world champion, a homecoming for Stuart Lancaster, the manager who returned home to England to celebrate Christmas… Everyone from the Ile-de-France region got together on Thursday. Two days later, this Saturday, he put up a wall in front of the confused Bayonnais, who were refused two tries (6th, 24th). Nothing to say about the second. On the other hand, on the first, referee Benoît Rousselet gave the Racingmen a nice helping hand by forgetting a blatant and deliberate offside by Nolann Le Garrec.
Rather passive, the Ciel et Blanc were airtight and surgical in counterattack. The little English wonder, winger Henry Arundell, planted a first try after a sprint along the sidelines (14th) on a ball recovered in the heart of the Bayonne defense. Just before half-time, an interception on a bad pass from Camille Lopez was finished behind the line by Nolann Le Garrec (39th). At the break, the Lancaster players, who had shown nothing else, had the match in hand.
They were content to control in the second half. Before the meeting escapes them. A foul by Siya Kolisi at the heart of a regroupment, a penalty quickly played by Bayonne scrum half Guillaume Rouet and 3rd line Uzair Cassiem gave his team hope at the hour mark (13-20, 60th ). Especially since Racing found itself at 14 after the yellow card of replacement pillar Guram Gogichashvili (69th) for a bad gesture. Hope was strengthened three minutes later with a try from hooker Thomas Acquier on a penalty. Just before the breathtaking finale.
Dots
Bayonne: 3 tries from Cassiem (60th), Acquier (72nd), Baget (80th), 3 conversions from Lopez, 2 penalties from Lopez (12th, 42nd).
Racing 92: 2 tries from Arundell (14th), Le Garrec (39th), 2 conversions from Tedder, 3 penalties from Tedder (8th, 44th, 67th).
