Two acts of genius, a victory and as a bonus the qualification for the quarter-finals: Racing 92 ensured the spectacle by dominating Munster this Sunday at Paris La Défense Arena (39-22). A success more complicated to obtain than the score suggests, but which sends the Ile-de-France club to the quarter-final of the European Cup for the third time in a row.
What you must remember
If it takes time to ignite, the public of the enclosure of Nanterre largely benefited from its Sunday afternoon. Thanks to a raging and inspired back line, Racing dominated the Irish in Munster, even offering the offensive bonus at the end of the game.
But the Racingmen did not do everything well in this match. First by chaining the faults at the start of the match, which allowed the Irish to break away in the first twenty minutes (0-9, 18th). Then, shortly after taking control of the match thanks to Teddy - Iribaren and Thomas -, taking a try on one of their offensives after a ball lost by Chavancy, transformed into a pest by Conway (11-16, 39th).
The following ? A bitter and powerful forwards fight, aborted flights of Parisians plus players and a scoring duel between the French scrum half Teddy Iribaren and the Irish opener "JJ" Hanrahan. Until a new stroke of genius from the men of Laurent Travers.
Its initiator? Scottish opening half Finn Russell and a very inspired kick for Teddy Thomas, again. The international, retained this week in the list of 42 by Fabien Galthié for the Six Nations Tournament, feels the blow and makes speak his flexibility and his talent to flatten in the end.
🏆 #ChampionsCup
🏉 Racing takes the advantage with a new test from Thomas! pic.twitter.com/5aHYrHOxRn
Knocked out, the Irish then took wave after wave and two more tries in the last five minutes. First that of Virimi Vakatawa, rewarded for his activity, then that of the offensive bonus by the Argentinian Juan Imhoff in the last seconds. As a warning to Europe in rugby. Racing will try to offer a home quarter next week on the Saracens' lawn.
The gesture: the Iribaren chistera
The scrum half of Racing 92 is one of those instinctive players capable of making improbable moves. A week after shining against Clermont, he was again faithful to his reputation on Sunday with a superb chistera to send Teddy Thomas to the test on his right wing (8-9, 29th). Add to that a 5/6 in his attempts against the poles, and you get another great game from Teddy Iribaren.
🏆 #ChampionsCup
🏉 Racing scores again with Thomas' test on an incredible Teddy Iribaren chistera! What a gesture! pic.twitter.com/RlnS1CPHhr
The number: 5
Racing 92 is starting to become a regular. With this qualification, the Hauts-de-Seine club will play its fifth European quarter-final, the third in a row. Since 2015, he has always passed the group stage, except in 2017, and has reached the final twice, in 2016 and 2018. Two games lost against the Saracens (9-21) and Leinster (12-15).
Racing 92 - Munster: 39-22
Half-time: 11-16
Racing 92. 3 tests: Thomas (29th, 73rd), Vakatawa (77th), Imhoff (80th); 2 transformations: Machenaud (78th, 80th); 5 penalties: Iribaren (20th, 33rd, 47th, 54th, 58th).
Munster. 1 test: Conway (38th); 1 transformation: Hanrahan (39th); 5 penalties: Hanrahan (4th, 11th, 18th, 50th, 64th).
Racing 92: Dulin - T. Thomas, Vakatawa, Chavancy (cap.), Imhoff - (o) Russell (Volavola, 78th), (m) Iribaren (Machenaud, 70th) - B. le Roux, Claassen, Lauret - Bird ( Chouzenoux, 65th), Palu - Tameifuna (Gomes Sa, 55th), Chat (Baubigny, 70th), Ben Arous (Kolingar, 55th). Entr. : Travers.
Munster: Haley - Conway, Ch. Farrell, R. Scannell, Earls - (o) Hanrahan, (m) Murray (Casey, 78th) - O'Donoghue (Cloete, 74th), Stander, O'Mahony (cap.) - Holland, Kleyn (Botha, 70th) - Archer (Ryan, 65th), N. Scannell (O'Byrne, 78th), Kilcoyne (Loughman, 65th). Entr. : Van Graan.