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Racing-Edinburgh: the favorites and strokes of our special correspondent

2021-04-04T17:31:34.718Z


After the spectacular victory of the Ile-de-France over the Scots, find out what caught the attention of our special correspondent in Nanterre


In Paris La Défense Arena, 

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Racingmen accustomed to the roller coaster


Racing 92 is the most regular French team in the European Cup in recent years.

On the lawn of Union Bordeaux-Bègles, the Ile-de-France club will play its fourth quarter-final in a row and will aim for a first continental title after failing on the last step in 2016 (Saracens), 2018 (Leinster) and 2020 (Exeter ).

During these unprecedented round of 16 of the Champions Cup, the Ile-de-France residents have made short work of very pale Scots.

“We had to be patient, we waited and it was wanted to have this direct game at the start of the match before going for more width.

We varied our way of playing by going looking for them more, as they only had one defensive line.

It worked well, ”said manager Laurent Travers.

The Ciel et Blancs showed a radically different face from their setback of the week on the lawn of Aviron Bayonnais. 

Camille Chat, a ball of energy


Mammoth loads, monstrous accelerations and an exceptional riot of energy.

Camille Chat was huge against the Scots.

Regularly launched in the defense of Edinburgh, it has constantly wreaked havoc.

XXXL performance.

The Racing hooker had recently confessed that he had returned frustrated from the last Six Nations Tournament, where he had played little.

Injured at the start of the competition, he then donned the costume of Toulousain Julien Marchand's replacement.

At the Arena, Camille Chat proved to the staff of the Blues that he can be more than a luxury lining. 

The "young guard" has shone in the spotlight


Racing has distinguished itself these past seasons by the quality of its training center, which regularly brings out promising young players, quickly operational for the high level.

Sunday, three "young shoots" honored their first start in the Champions Cup.

Opener Antoine Gibert (23) and third row Jordan Joseph (20) and Ibrahim Diallo (23) shone at the Arena de Nanterre.

Gibert, holder in the absence of Finn Russell (suspended), accurately led the Ile-de-France game and assured in his role as scorer.

Diallo, in the role of secateurs, was omnipresent in the fight.

“We have seen it for some time, Ibrahim Diallo is moving upmarket.

It is thanks to these matches that he will grow up, ”greeted Laurent Travers.

Joseph, tough, delivered a full game. “Jordan, what is important is that he is now able to be in continuity, continues Laurent Travers.

It is not a good move, a worse move.

What is needed is that it be constant.

He showed us his talent today.

He must be able to repeat it. "

Scratches

Breakage to be deplored


At the end of this round of 16, the Racing infirmary suddenly filled up.

First there was this serious injury to the shoulder of the center and Ile-de-France captain Henry Chavancy.

He spent a long time on the Arena lawn before being evacuated on a stretcher and to the nearest hospital.

A big lack for Ciel et Blanc for the weeks to come.

"He is the soul of the team, someone who is benevolent for the whole group," recalled scrum half Maxime Machenaud.

Another problem: the second line Dominic Bird was the face of a shock to the head and neck.

He will take additional exams to find out if he can participate in the quarterfinal against UBB.

“It's okay, it's okay, reassuring Laurent Travers.

We will see the situation after the controls.

Sometimes it's more of little than bad. "

Another concern, that concerning the international center Virimi Vakatawa, who was hit in the knee and was forced to leave his teammates ten minutes from the end of the match.

A point will be made during the week, but the pair of centers in Ile-de-France could be decimated without two of its driving forces. 

Record drop for the Scots


We were expecting a remake of the last France-Scotland in the Tournament, we were disappointed.

Despite a good start to the match, the Edinburgh players began to wither, before exploding.

“You can't complain.

If you make mistakes with these kinds of teams, they will punish you quickly.

The score is ugly, does it represent the physiognomy of the match?

Maybe not but hey, the result is the result ”, could only note Richard Cockerill, the Edinburgh coach, who had passed on the bench of RC Toulon finalist of the Top 14 in 2016 (defeat against… the Racing).

The bill is heavy for Highland players.

On Sunday, they conceded to Nanterre the third heaviest setback in the history of the final stages of the great European Cup.

And he goes back to the last century to find traces of worse pants: the quarter of 1997 between Leicester and Glasgow (90-19, +71) and the other quarter of 1998 when the Stade Français Paris had corrected Pontypridd (71-14, +57).

There, the Scots scored only three small points and left Hauts-de-Seine with 56 points in the suitcases.

Hard to take.

Lucid Cockerill: "The reality is that we just weren't good enough to withstand the shock."

Read also

  • Champions Cup: Bordeaux-Bègles holds its first quarter, five French clubs qualified

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2021-04-04

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