A week after the rouste inflicted by Bordeaux-Bègles (14-37), Racing 92 still drank the cup, the big cup even this Saturday in Castres at the opening of the 12th day of Top 14. In the rain, without showing much - something and especially not a start of reaction, Racing 92 lost 25-3 (17-3 at the break).
No, there is no typo: in the Tarn, Racing only scored 3 unfortunate small points thanks to a penalty from Maxime Machenaud in the 24th minute.
That's all and it's too little.
Since the start of the season, the sky and navy club have never been so destitute on the scoreboard.
🕰 End of the match and defeat of Ciel & Blanc
Bravo to @CastresRugby for his victory!
🔵⚪️ 25 - 3 💙🤍
"I am convinced that the team is there except that we must continue to work to get out of this difficult moment" - Juan Imhoff
#RacingFamily # COR92 pic.twitter.com/ERIu3YUJQy
- Racing 92 (@ racing92) December 4, 2021
Slowly but surely and without making much noise, Racing sinks into what looks like the beginning of a crisis. He remains on three defeats in a row and does not know what a victory is since the end of October and the weekend of All Saints. What is certain is that this Racing 92 is not on the pace of a team that can and wants to claim to tear off the Brennus Shield at the end of the season. Already beaten six times since the start of the season, the Racingmen are far from their initial objectives. Yes, the situation around the club could quickly become heavy if the Ile-de-France residents do not react very quickly.
Seven days after their terrible air hole against UBB at home (14-37) during which they still conceded a scathing 31-0 in the second half, it is this time during the first 35 minutes that Ile-de-France residents are completely foiled. Completely asphyxiated, Laurent Travers' men suffered the influence of a team from Castres who led 17-3 at the half-hour mark after two tries by Geoffrey Palis (4th) and Teariki Ben Nicholas (31st). In numerical superiority just before the break after Tyler Ardron's yellow card, Racing was then refused a first try following a forward from its captain Henry Chavancy. Same sanction when returning from the locker room with a second try refused to Ile-de-France, Yoan Tanga failing to flatten in the in-goal after a good defense of the Castres scrum half Jérémy Fernandez (43).
Clearly more enterprising but very clumsy, Racing ultimately never managed to materialize its highlights, confirming its offensive shortcomings.
A lack of realism which Castres took advantage of to seal his victory definitively by offering himself the offensive bonus in stoppage time thanks to Julien Dumora.
Racing 92 is not doing well and if it wants to spend a more peaceful winter than expected, it will have to beat the Pau section during its next one.
The problem is that in order to play it, he has to wait until December 27th.
Two days after Christmas.