Racing has its revenge. Eliminated in the semi-final of the Top 14 by La Rochelle last June, Laurent Travers' men this time beat the Maritimes, this Saturday night at home for the second day of the Top 14. The Ciel et Blancs continue their clear course afterwards. victory at the Stade Français in opening. Quite the opposite of Rochelais again crucified at the end of the match, as in Toulouse. Beaten by a test by Romain Ntamack last Sunday, this time it was another star of the Blues, Gaël Fickou, who made the Rochelais bend. A nice pass fake followed by a tumble into the in-goal, where the ball is irregularly torn away… Test for victory granted by the referee.
The shadow of the semi-final of Lille has in any case hovered over La Défense Arena.
The rivalry is palpable, like the scuffles from the start of the match, between strollers on the ground and taken at the passes.
La Rochelle and its overkill pack want to mark their victims again in June.
The revenge is played first in the melees, fierce, the Maritimes preferring to give up points at the foot to favor this confrontation ... To the detriment of the spectacle.
Read alsoTop 14: the dark French Stadium in Bordeaux
A bit of a shame for the public, finally back at La Défense.
Well prepared, the Ciel et Blanc held in scrum and in defense and the referee, annoyed, took out ten minutes the two hookers and competitors in the France team, the Rochelais Bourgarit and the Racingman Chat.
Pass between Beale's legs
Previously, it was Racing which had found the breach thanks to a marvelous pass between the legs of Kurtley Beale, concluded behind the test line by Virimi Vakatawa (7-0, 11th).
The only flash in this first period where the blunders on both sides followed one another.
La Rochelle, despite interminable stays in the Racing camp, systematically failing to conclude.
Kurtley Beale🔥 # R92SR # Top14 pic.twitter.com/xcNzh0vUTe
- EK Rugby Analysis (@ek_rugby) September 11, 2021
In this shock with a little taste of old-fashioned rugby despite the giant screen and the ultramodern room, the second period started again with the same domination of La Rochelle and the same defense of a Racing still deprived of the ball.
The Ile-de-France residents will eventually give in, on a test by Gourdon at the relay of Favre and Alldritt, shortly before the hour mark (10-10, 58th).
The end of the game is decided on the details.
And in this area, Racing had the inevitable Fickou to make the difference.
MATCH SHEET
Racing 92 - La Rochelle 23-10 (half time: 7-3)
Racing 92.
2 tries (Vakatawa 11th, penalty 69th).
1 transformation (Machenaud 12th).
3 penalties (Machenaud 51st, 62nd, Le Garrec 79th).
1 yellow card (Cat 34e)
La Rochelle.
1 test (Gourdon, 57th). 1 transformation (West 58e). 1 penalty (West 24th). 2 yellow cards (Bourgarit 34th, Bourdeau 69th).
