RACING WELL UP TO SPEED
French club exactly where they want to be for Leinster clash
They have been building nicely for this showdown
WHILE Leinster had the weekend off, Racing 92 geared up for next weekend’s Champions Cup final in Bilbao with an emphatic 42-13 victory over Agen at the U Arena.
It was a thumping win that secured Racing’s automatic qualification for the Top14 semi-finals — their second-place finish secured a quarter-final bye — and provided pointers as to the challenge Leinster will face in Spain next Saturday.
Much has been made of Leinster’s incredible strength in depth on the back of their flourishing academy system but Saturday’s result emphasised Racing’s powerful playing roster also as it was very much a second-string selection that accounted for Agen so impressively.
First-choice out-halves Patrick Lambie and Dan Carter did not feature, with experienced French international Remi Tales slotting seamlessly into the 10 slot, directing operations with poise as Racing racked up six tries.
No sign of their in-form secondrow partnership Donnacha Ryan and Leone Nakarawa either, with Edwin Maka and Manuel Carizza forming a powerful engine-room partnership, both crossing for tries. Outstanding back rows Wenceslas Lauret and Yannick Nyanga were also resting up, allowing the likes of Boris Palu and Antoine Claassen to hold their hands up for inclusion in the match-day squad for Bilbao.
Wingers Teddy Thomas and Marc Andreu are two of the biggest threats to Leinster’s designs on a fourth European Cup crown next weekend but abrasive Argentinian winger Juan Imhoff reminded coaches Laurent Labit and Laurent Travers of his value with an irrepressible two-try showing.
Likewise, the absence of midfield anchorman Henry Chavancy (the centre highlighted by former Racing assistant coach Ronan O’Gara as one of their most influential players) allowed All Black Anthony Tuitubake to show that, even at 36, he still carries plenty of punch.
The biggest selection quandary for Racing next weekend is the loss of inspirational scrum-half and figurehead Maxime Machenaud, not least for his superb place-kicking contribution.
The man tipped to replace him, Teddy Iribaren (who is also a place-kicker), did not feature, with Antoine Gilbert starting and Andreu providing cover, but the display of veteran full-back Benjamin Dambielle will have given Labit and Travers plenty of food for thought ahead of this week’s selection.
Dambielle is a much travelled flyhalf/full-back (he lists Biarritz, Brive and La Rochelle among his previous clubs) who has never been picked by France but he is dependable off the kicking tee and converted all six tries against Agen.
Louis Dupichot started at fullback in the semi-final victory over Munster without setting the world alight and and would be considered the more attacking full-back but Dambielle is a secure presence at the back, vital for such a big game, and his kicking returns at the weekend and overall assuredness have thrown his name in the mix for a call-up.
All-in-all, it was an excellent outing for Racing, both in terms of serving their Top14 ambitions and as preparation for the showdown with Leinster.
That was reflected in the postmatch observations of a highly contented Labit, who claimed it was very much a case of mission accomplished.
‘I am very satisfied, of course,’ said Labit. ‘We had a mission, it was to win the match and win it well.
‘The goal was to take five points to not have to look at the other results and ensure the right to go directly into the semi-finals of the Top 14.
‘Because of the schedule we have it is very important to have a week of recovery and regeneration after the European Cup final. ‘Now it is done and that is very satisfying for the club because now we can focus on Leinster and know we can draw on all our resources.’
Those resources put Racing in a strong position heading for Bilbao while confidence is oozing through the club on the back of their comprehensive dismissal of Munster, the 39-15 romp away to Bordeaux the following weekend and Saturday’s hammering of Agen.
The ability of their second string to step up gives them the edge over Leinster in recent times, Leo Cullen’s understudies going down at home to Treviso before being humiliated by Connacht in Galway in their last two Pro14 outings.
Leinster’s frontliners will still start favourites in Bilbao on the back of their stunning semi-final dismissal of Scarlets and all-round excellence this season but Racing’s rude health will be a concern.
Cullen and his management team will be hoping the decision to rest their main men, which played into Connacht hands in Galway, will not backfire in next weekend’s final as there is the danger of Leinster being a tad ring-rusty after their threeweek break — something Racing can exploit, as they showed with their early, game-deciding exuberance against Munster in the semi-final.
Munster scrum-half Conor Murray has excellent knowledge of both finalists and believes Leinster will have a huge challenge against Racing.
‘Leinster are flying it this year, they are an awesome side so I can see the reason why they are favourites,’ said Murray.
‘But I think it is really dangerous to underestimate Racing. They have got such game-breakers and X-factor players that they can do something out of nothing and suddenly score three tries.
‘But, chatting to the Leinster lads, they know how good Racing are, so that kind of [favouritism] talk is really for the outside,’ he added.
The favourites tag is undoubtedly justified on the evidence of what we have seen this season but there is no question that Racing, even allowing for the loss of Machenaud, have been building nicely for this decider.
Battle-hardened and brimming with talent, Racing are ready to front up in the Basque Country next weekend and if Leinster are to topple them, all the signs are that it will take one of their finest performances yet.