There was no miracle, but at least some chills.
A week after a round of 16 first leg where they overpowered Stade Français (22-9) and took a 13-point lead in the Champions Cup round of 16, Racing 92 stammered their rugby against their rival, winning (33-22) hardly Sunday afternoon.
Reduced to fourteen at the end of the first period, Paris could not reverse the trend, and lost their third derby in two weeks.
But if it didn't materialize, the lines of the incredible comeback or the unpredictable exit from the road - depending on where you place yourself - took shape during a first that was both weak and crazy.
Weak, because the roof of Paris La Défense Arena did not let in more sunshine this beautiful Easter weekend than precision in the game on Sunday afternoon.
And crazy, because a Stade Français bis without Nayacalevu, Macalou or even Azagoh and Alo-Emile took advantage of the many mistakes of its hosts to get back into the game arithmetically.
The red of Naivalu has weighed down Paris
We summarize for all those who preferred to take advantage of the spring heat: three Parisian tries including one entry by an ultra opportunistic Veainu (6th) to run in the void left by the Racingmen on their offensive.
🏆 #RugbyPack
🏉 Stade Français is off to a strong start!
pic.twitter.com/z8HfHPqeE7
— beIN SPORTS (@beinsports_FR) April 17, 2022
Three players temporarily expelled and one of them, Naivalu, definitively for a far too dangerous shoulder tackle on Dupichot (35th), a Stade Français concentrated and boosted by a few good flights, but also a Racing 92 far from the two previous derbies.
Punished for their defensive largesse, the Ile-de-France residents have especially missed too much in attack, like just before the break of this ultimate surplus, too badly negotiated to end up elsewhere than in touch.
But without several of its executives and a second period to one less, Paris could not steal the quarter-finalist place from its neighbor.
Quickly punished by the legs of Teddy Thomas (44th), the players of the capital then struggled too much to reach the opposing camp to continue to shake up the balance of power in a second act where the Stade Français was not able to score while Racing ensured the bare minimum before seeing Lauret (73rd) and Thomas inflate the score (79th).
But now here are the men of Laurent Travers among the four French teams, still in contention in this Champions Cup.
Like a year ago, the Racingmen will see the quarter-finals and it will be at home against the English of Sale in early May.
We will have to do better to see the semis.
But is it really worth pointing out?
RACING 92 - STADE FRANCAIS: 33-22
Half time: 13-22
Referee:
Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)
Attendance:
14,986 spectators
Racing 92:
penalty tries (35th), Thomas (44th, 79th), Lauret (73rd);
penalties from Le Garrec (20th, 31st);
transformation of Le Garrec (44th, 56th)
Stade Français:
trials by Veainu (6th), Lapègue (22nd, 38th);
transformations of Sanchez (6th, 38th);
Sanchez penalty (14th)
Temporary exclusions:
Gomes Sa (25th) for Racing 92;
Naivalu (19th, 35th), Castets (25th) for Stade Français
Exclusion:
Naivalu (35th) for Stade Français
Racing 92:
Dupichot (Gibert, 35th) - Thomas, Fickou, Chavancy (cap.) (Klemenczak, 80th), Imhoff - (o) Russell, (m) Le Garrec (Machenaud, 56th) - Hemery (Nyakane, 26th, Hemery , 36th, Diallo, 50th), Tanga, Lauret - Palu, Chouzenoux (Pesenti, 80th) - Gomes Sa (Nyakane, 50th), Cat (Baubigny, 50th), Gogichashvili (Ben Arous, 50th)
Coach:
Laurent Travers
Stade Français:
Veainu - Naivalu, Glover, Arrate (Barré, 54th), Lapègue - (o) Sanchez (Segonds, 69th, Percillier, 75th), (m) Hall - Briatte (Francoz, 75th), Gray (cap.) ( Francoz, 43rd, Gray, 54th), Godener (Kakovin, 26th, Godener, 36th) - Maestri, Van der Mescht (Gabrillagues, 59th - Roelofse (Melikidze, 59th), Da Silva (Panis, 62nd), Castets (Kakovin, 59th )
Coach:
Gonzalo Quesada