Racing 92, after being surprised by Bayonne last weekend, was able to bounce back on Saturday during the 3rd day of the Top 14 against Lyon (32-19), too undisciplined on the lawn of the Arena, a good omen for the Ile-de-France club before moving to Toulouse. Thanks to this victory, Laurent Travers’ players temporarily move up to 4th place (8 points) in the championship standings, while Lyon (5 pts) drops to 8th position.
Three tries were scored on both sides, but the numerous penalties conceded by Xavier Garbajosa’s men handicapped LOU too much for him to hope to change the game. Despite the premature loss of their scrum half and scorer Nolann Le Garrec in the 34th minute, victim of a “little thigh crutch” according to Dimitri Szarzewski, the Ciel et Blancs were able to count on the boot of their Scottish opener Finn Russell , author of a 100% kick (one conversion, five penalties).
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The LOU, which for its part lost its second line international Romain Taofifenua to injury, has reason to regret, because its desire to do battle and produce the game has not been rewarded at its fair value. The match in the match between the two young scrum halves Le Garrec and Baptiste Couilloud, excellent until his exit in the 51st, replaced by Jonathan Pélissié, came to an end.
Racing 92, whose young guard, embodied in particular by the rear Max Spring, once again excelled, was also well helped by its New Zealand center Francis Saili, established at the last minute in place of Olivier Klemenczak and the origin of the first test of the meeting. The Racingmen, reassured, can see their trip to Toulouse with more confidence on the next day, while Lyon, for its part, will have to urgently resolve its indiscipline, before receiving the French Stadium.