Top 14: Racing 92 suffers but wins against Castres to start its season

If the beautiful victories are won in pain, then this one is really pretty.

Jostled at Nanterre by Castres, Racing 92 suffered against the Tarnais before winning (25-19) in the last minutes on a try from its three-quarter center Olivier Klemenczak.

The 2022-2023 vintage Racingmen are still being run in, but we will have to do better quickly.

What to remember: a very winded Racing, but victorious

Individual clumsiness, collective approximations, kicks to get rid of the ball.

Take it all, add a tough finalist from last season, and you'll get a first home defeat that hung in the face of Racing 92. a try by Olivier Klemenczak (77th).

For the first of the “26 kilometers of their marathon in Top 14” according to their manager Laurent Travers, the Ciel et Blancs trotted, and even sometimes walked across.

Faced with a team that did not come to reinvent rugby but was incisive in key moments, the Ciel et Blancs stammered their rugby, like their hinge Le Garrec-Russell at the start of the match.

And if two attempts in quick succession from Diallo (26th) and Gomes Sa (32nd) allowed the Ile-de-France residents to return to the locker room in the lead, it was the Castres who for a long time seemed to have this extra thing to win.

The idea was not crazy, and took shape when the CO winger Nakosi escaped on the left wing to allow his team to regain the lead (15-19, 56th), before Teddy Iribaren (69th) then Antoine Gibert (71st) do not miss in quick succession the penalty likely to switch again in front of the commuters, who have returned to one point.

It was just before this guilty release from Castres, this revival full of juice from the young winger Enzo Benmegal, and this test flattened by Klemenczak.

It was very hot, but the misstep was avoided.

The player: Cameron Woki, mixed first

Cameron Woki was no doubt dreaming of a less bumpy start for his first appearance in the Racing 92 jersey. radiation that we know him with the Blues.

In the 13th minute, he scrambles a ball captured in touch, yet one of his specialties, offering a scrum to the Tarnais.

The former Bordelais did not spare himself, but lacked impact within a team, in his defense, overall in the hard.

The number: 350

He has been wearing the club's colors since 1999 and his debut as a youngster.

Henry Chavancy was celebrating his 350th appearance with the Racing professionals on Saturday afternoon, and was treated to a cheer and the privilege of entering the synthetic turf at Paris La Défense Arena alone for the occasion.

But the celebrations were short-lived for the historic three-quarter center of the Hauts-de-Seine team.

Touched, Chavancy spent less than 25 minutes in the field before being forced to leave the field, replaced by the Fijian Inia Tabuavou.

3⃣5⃣0⃣

👑 @HenryChavancy #RacingFamily #R92CO pic.twitter.com/HEEIKsrwXK

— Racing 92 (@racing92) September 3, 2022

RACING 92 - CASTRES: 25-19

Half time: 15-12

Referee:

Mr. Brousset

Attendance:

5563 spectators

Racing 92:

trials by Diallo (26th), Gomes Sa (32nd), Klemenczak (77th);

transformation of Le Garrec (32nd) and Iribaren (77th);

penalties from Le Garrec (3rd) and Iribaren (66th)

Castres:

test by Nakosi (56th);

penalties from Dumora (9th, 17th, 23rd, 38th);

transformation Dumora (56th)

Yellow card:

Maravat (33rd)

Racing 92:

Spring - Benmegal, Klemenczak, Chavancy (Tabuavou, 24th) (cap.), Dupichot - (o) Russell (Gibert, 68th), (m) Le Garrec (Iribaren, 48th) - Woki, Kamikamica (Baudonne, 61st ), Diallo (Baudonne, 8th, Diallo, 12th, Bresler, 64th) - Palu (Le Roux, 77th), Le Roux (Kamikamica, 68th) - Gomes Sa (Kharaishvili, 48th), Chat (Tarrit, 48th), Kolingar ( Ben Arous, 48th)

Coach:

Laurent Travers

Castres:

Dumora - Palis, Combezou, Séguret, Nakosi (Zeghdar, 57th) - (o) Le Brun, (m) Arata (Fernandez, 68th) - De Crespigny (Raisuqe, 55th), Delaporte, Babillot (Champion of Crespigny, 63rd , Maravat, 76th) (cap.) - Staniforth (Vanverberghe, 61st), Maravat (Pieterse, 55th) - Hounkpatin (Azar, 55th), Barlot (Colonna, 70th), De Benedittis (Tichit, 61st)

Coach:

Pierre-Henry Broncan