A week after a frustrating defeat on the lawn of Clermont, the Racingmen beat with difficulty (17-14), this Saturday, at home, the promoted Perpignan at the opening of this sixth day of Top 14. A success long to emerge, the fourth of his season, which allows them to consolidate their place at the top of the standings.
Perpignan leaves, him, with a deserved defensive bonus.
What you must remember
Appearances can be deceiving.
A goalless draw at the break and a returning post to unlock the scoreboard, after the locker room: it was not, however, a question of football - but of rugby - this Saturday, at Paris La Défense Arena.
Faced with a valiant Perpignan, the Racingmen waited for the 46th minute and a penalty 35 meters from Teddy Iribaren, holder for the first time this season, to reward sterile domination.
End of meeting!
Well done to @ usap_officiel for their match.
💙🤍 17 - 14 🟥 🟨 # RacingFamily # R92USAP pic.twitter.com/ZoZ3KrBIYt
- Racing 92 (@ racing92) October 9, 2021
Despite a one-sided start, with territorial supremacy and several very hot chances, the locals took a long time to break through an aggressive Catalan defense. Too messy and ineffective with waste in touch and in melee, Laurent Travers' men, yet in numerical superiority after the yellow card from Mathieu Acebes at the half hour mark, have also long lacked variety in their attacks.
It was finally when they returned from the locker room, carried by new blood, that the Racingmen found the solution with two tries, first from Ibrahim Diallo, then Antoine Gibert a few minutes later, however insufficient to get a first bonus point, the team's goal before the game.
Perpignan, which had carried out a large turnover for this meeting, leaves him with a defensive bonus won on the gong, after a try from Lucas Velarte and a transformation from Matteo Rodor.
The player: Ibrahim Diallo
If Finn Russell and Virimi Vakatawa were the most visible during the first act, touching a lot of balls, the solution finally came on a movement of the young French international Ibrahim Diallo (23 years old), after a touch this time well negotiated with a few meters from the end of Perpignan.
An action which crowned a highlight for the locals and launched Racing 92 perfectly on the road to success.
The number: 3
Long to emerge, the success of Racing 92 against Perpignan is the third in a row at home this season in as many games, after victories against La Rochelle (23-10) and Lyon (24-20).
The Ile-de-France residents, who will travel to Toulon next Saturday, will try to continue this invincibility in two weeks, when Montpellier comes to Paris La Défense Arena.