A week after having crushed Clermont on its lawn, Racing 92 confirmed its return to form by winning at the finish on the lawn of Pau after a crossover between the two teams. The Ile-de-France residents thus temporarily settle in second place, while the Palois remain under pressure at the bottom of the standings.
We can’t stop Racing 92 anymore! After four consecutive defeats, the Hauts-de-Seine club had raised its head in a rather incredible way last week by crushing Clermont (45-19) on the synthetic turf of La Paris La Défense Arena. Seven days after this dizzying performance, Teddy Thomas and his teammates confirmed Friday evening on the lawn of Pau in the advanced match of the 24th day that they were back in the foreground by winning a very precious victory (35-29) facing the poorly classified at this time of the season. Result: here is this Racing team, which was not even certain a few weeks ago to play the final phase in position, certainly provisional (La Rochelle should take second place on Saturday, since it receives Agen, who lost all his matches), runner-up to Toulouse. Unlike last week’s scenario against Clermont, However, the Ile-de-France residents had to fight until the end to manage to bring down the Hameau des Palois who remained on a cardboard box on the lawn of the SUA (47-7) and had not lost at home since February 20, against Toulon (33-29). That evening, already, the RCT got the better of Pau.
Taofifenua and Chouzenoux save Racing!
#TOP14 # SPR92 – J24
And two for the @racing92 ✌️ new success for Ile-de-France residents who temporarily climb to second place! ? The machine is on ? pic.twitter.com/y6kGqxKZDr— TOP 14 Rugby (@top14rugby) May 14, 2021
Like the Var, the Racingmen made the difference in the very last minutes and this test (the fourth of the evening for Gaël Fickou’s partners) by Donovan Taofifenua (74th) six minutes after the South African world champion Jantjies restored the advantage to the Section in this part which saw the two teams in turn lead the proceedings, and six minutes before Baptiste Chouzenoux, at the cost of a counter huge in touch, do not come to avoid an ultimate fear to his team. This Racing came to Béarn with the big armada on Friday evening and led by two points at the break (20-18), therefore finally had the last word and strikes a blow at the approach of the final phase for which the Sky Blue and White would have climbed directly to the semi-finals if the championship had stopped this Friday evening. An incredible turnaround, while, much lower in the standings, Pau remains under pressure from Bayonne in the race to maintain.
⏱️ end of the match ?
Baptiste Chouzenoux, comes for his 100th to save his teammates with an imperial counter in touch!
A second half like the 1st, between magnificent actions and difficulties facing a very good team from the @SectionPaloise
?️ 29-35??# SPR92 pic.twitter.com/xludR4LnKs
— Racing 92 (@racing92) May 14, 2021
TOP 14 / 24TH DAY
Friday May 14, 2021
Pau – Racing 92 : 29-35
Saturday May 15, 2021
2.45 p.m .: Bordeaux-Bègles – Castres
5:00 p.m .: Lyon – Brive
5:00 p.m .: Stade Français – Montpellier
5:00 p.m .: La Rochelle – Agen
5:00 p.m .: Toulouse – Bayonne
9:05 p.m .: Clermont – Toulon
