It will not yet be a good year for Racing 92. The Hauts-de-Seine club failed in the quarter-final of the European Rugby Cup against Union Bordeaux-Bègles (24-21).
In this game without a try, the decision came from a penalty from Matthieu Jalibert at the last minute.
An impressive kick from the opener of the UBB and the Blues, still impeccable this Sunday, from his half of the field.
Between a diminished Racing and a sluggish Bordeaux-Bègles and no doubt a little paralyzed by its first European quarter-final, the expected shock did not keep its promises.
The match was summed up in a knife duel where penalties, lost touches and clumsiness at the time of conclusion set the pace for the game.
Racing may regret its many absentees and its lack of sharpness.
The highlight: a festival of penalties
The two teams multiplied the faults in the first period, which amounted to a scoring duel, Jalibert responding with three penalties to two goals from Machenaud and a drop from Gibert.
The young opener of Racing did try a few shots, including two clever kicks over the defense, but the Bordelais resisted well.
Mistakes on both sides have cost dearly.
And the Ciel et Blancs, in numerical superiority after the yellow card of Lamerat (36th) may regret this last touch lost five meters from the Bordeaux in-goal, just before the break, reached with a sad draw (9-9 ).
The second half started on the same basis.
Machenaud, Racing side, tries to infiltrate a mouse hole and, after a few meters gained by his forwards in a series of pick and go, converts a new penalty.
Jalibert responds instantly by sneaking into the Ile-de-France defense and again brings the UBB up to a penalty, even if Bordeaux could have hoped for better, his pack failing in the in-goal (12-12, 49th) .
Racing then momentarily loses its three-quarter Australian Kurtley Beale injured on a high tack, but pockets three additional points in the affair.
It was then that Matthieu Jalibert took matters into his own hands.
The international opener, still impeccable at the foot this Sunday, again attacks the line in the relay of his number 8 Scott Higginbotham If he fails on this shot 20 cm from the line, he again chained two penalties, including one masterful at 50 meters, to allow the UBB to pass for the first time in front (18-15, 62nd).
Entered in place of Machenaud, with the same success at the foot, Iribaren brings Racing back to equality for an end of the match in suspense (18-18, 68th).
Until Jalibert's magic kick.
[📺 VIDEO SUMMARY] 🏉 # UBBvR92
🏆 At the end of the suspense, Bordeaux-Bègles eliminates Racing 92 and takes his place in the semi-final of the Champions Cup!
🚨 A 24-21 victory, with a final penalty at the very end of the match, from the midfielder! Https: //t.co/XuNW4zAm4e
- beIN SPORTS (@beinsports_FR) April 11, 2021
The player: Imperial Jalibert
He is a cut above the rest.
Matthieu Jalibert confirms his status as a world-class player game after game.
Even in a closed match like this quarter-final, he was the only one, or almost, to find gaps, while managing the match calmly.
And above all showed an impressive success at the foot (8 out of 9).
A crack.
It is this type of player who undoubtedly missed Racing to make the decision.
The number: 30
The number of seconds spent on the lawn by Camille Chat.
The Racing 92 hooker, very fit last week and revenge after a Six Nations Tournament where he played little, was injured in the very first action of the match.
On an innocuous action, Camille Chat apparently injured his ankle, all alone, when he arrived at the support in a group.
His absence undoubtedly weighed
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MATCH SHEET
Bordeaux-Bègles - Racing 92
: 24-21 (9-9)
Bordeaux-Bègles
: 8 penalties (Jalibert 7th, 18th, 23rd, 49th, 60th, 62nd, 74th, 82nd).
Yellow card (Lamerat, 36th)
Racing 92:
6 penalties (Machenaud 3rd, 26th, 44th, 54th, Iribaren 68th, 78th), 1 drop (Gibert 15th).
Yellow card (Chouzenoux, 64th).
Referee: M. Carley (Ang.).
Bordeaux-Bègles:
Buros - Cordero, Moefana, Lamerat (Seuteni, 54th), Lam - (o) Jalibert, (m) Lucu (Lesgourgues, 65th) - Petti, Higginbotham, Woki (Roumat, 54th) - Cazeaux, Douglas - Cobilas (Tameifuna, 46th), Maynadier (Dweba, 54th), Poirot (cap.) (Kaulashvili, 68th).
Racing 92:
Boffelli (Taofifenua, 60th) - Dupichot, Klemenczak (Beale, 58th), Beale (Trinh-Duc, 52nd), Imhoff - (o) Gibert, (m) Machenaud (cap.) (Iribaren, 54th) - Chouzenoux , Joseph (Diallo, 52nd), Lauret - Ryan (Jones, 74th), Palu - Gomes Sa (Colombe, 54th), Chat (Baubigny 1st), Ben Arous (Gogichashvili, 44th).
