Still missed. For the third time, Racing was in the European Cup final on Saturday 17th October. And, for the third time, they left empty after their 31-27 defeat. As in Bilbao, in 2018, where they led five minutes from the end, the Ciel et Blancs will rehash for a long time ” the details “ that are the strength of a team. And that a match starts from the kick-off.
“We gave easy points. We failed on the line in the last minutes, it is the symbol of the match. It’s very hard. We did not miss it, but we did not manage to do so. It’s top-level sport, we’re sad ”, struggled to achieve at the end of the match captain Henry Chavancy. “It was played on details”, added, for his part, winger Juan Imhoff.
We knew that Exeter was a playful team and that Racing adapts perfectly to the rhythm of its opponent. In the semifinals, the Racingmen had perfectly managed the closed game and hung against the Saracens. The Champions Cup final, however, exceeded all expectations between two teams who have continued to send play and answer each other tit for tat.
The best and the worst
In the closed room of Bristol, Racing showed the worst and the best. The worst at the start of the match: the Ile-de-France residents, although more used to this level of competition than their opponents, were completely overwhelmed by the English ardor. The English forwards martyred the front row of Racing, several times at fault and penalized. Result, two tries conceded after seventeen minutes, in the most total amazement, and a third refused after an incomprehensible hand fault by Finn Russell.
The Ciel et Blanc have always believed in it, however, faithful to their ability to react after hard times. They took advantage of the inspirations of Simon Zebo and their serial scorer Juan Imhoff to return to the match.
It was then a game of ping-pong in the in-goals: Exeter just before half-time by Harry Williams, Simon Zebo again just after, Henry Slade in the wake of a gift interception for Exeter, before Camille Chat per hour of play does not put Racing at four points from the English.
Before the two teams decide to tighten the game. The defense of Racing ended up raising its level, like a recovery of Virimi Vakatawa after an attack at 17 game times. In front, the English are are hung, sometimes on the verge of breaking, as when Francis was sanctioned with a yellow card for a foul on Juan Ihmoff, in a good position to go to score.
With the last eight minutes on the power play, one point to catch up and possession in the Exeter camp, Racing had all the cards in hand. But, this time, it was the English defense that got up to force the Francillians to make a mistake on their line after endless playing time. Before controlling the end of the match and putting a final penalty on the siren to win their first European Cup, after a course without the slightest defeat.
