"These are the vagaries of rugby," blows Maxime Machenaud.
The scrum half of Racing 92, who challenges this Sunday (1:30 p.m.) in the quarter-finals of the European Cup, the Union Bordeaux-Bègles on the lawn of the Stade Chaban-Delmas, will be the captain of his team, in place of Henry Chavancy, injured.
But the three quarters of Racing's historic center will not be the only notable absent in this Franco-French shock.
French internationals Virimi Vakatawa, Bernard Le Roux and Teddy Thomas are also forfeited.
As well as Irish full-back Simon Zebo and New Zealand second row Dominic Bird.
Absences which are added to that of the Scottish opener Finn Russell, still suspended two weeks for his red card received with Scotland against the XV of France… it starts to do a lot.
"The workforce is quite substantial", positive Maxime Machenaud.
"We want to get a fourth final (
Editor's note: Racing was vice-champion of Europe in 2016, 2018 and 2020)
, and we will get it from 30 players," adds Laurent Travers, the manager of Ciel et Blanc.
In the absence of Russell, it is again the young Antoine Gibert, trained at the club, who will wear the number 10 of Racing.
The three-quarter line will be almost unprecedented with the Franco-Australian pair Beale-Klemenczak in the center and the Argentinian Emiliano Boffelli in the back.
A fight in the rain
The pack remains very strong, with Camille Chat in the heel and Jordan Joseph in number 8, both in great shape last week in the round of 16 against Edinburgh (56-3).
And it will be necessary because the match could well be played on the conquest, warns Laurent Travers.
Rain is in fact announced in Bordeaux all day Sunday.
Climatic conditions to which the Racingmen are no longer really used in their indoor stadium at La Défense Arena.
This promises a hotly contested match against UBB, carried by its international opener Matthieu Jalibert, sparkling with the Blues during the Six Nations Tournament and again decisive last week with his club against Bristol (36-17).
"Racing will be favorites, they have the experience of the European Cup," said Jefferson Poirot, captain of the UBB.
For Maxime Machenaud on the other hand, “it will be 50-50”.
In Top 14, Racing won in Bordeaux at the start of the season, but lost by one point on their turf.
"With the injured and the weather conditions in particular, the context will be completely different," warns Laurent Travers.
The composition of Bordeaux-Bègles - Racing 92
Referee: M. Carley (Ang.).
Bordeaux-Bègles:
Buros - Cordero, Moefana, Lamerat, Lam - (o) Jalibert, (m) Lucu - Petti, Higginbotham, Woki - Cazeaux, Douglas - Cobilas, Maynadier, Poirot (cap.).
Replacements: Dweba, Kaulashvili, Tameifuna, Jolmès, Roumat, Lesgourgues, Seuteni, Ducuing.
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Racing 92:
Boffelli - Dupichot, Klemenczak, Beale, Imhoff - (o) Gibert, (m) Machenaud (cap.) - Chouzenoux, Joseph, Lauret - Ryan, Palu - Gomes Sa, Chat, Ben Arous.
Alternates: Baubigny, Gogichashvili, Colombe, Jones, Diallo, Iribaren, Trinh-Duc, Taofifenua.
