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Rapid start sees Racing plough through Munster to the Champions Cup final
Racing 92 will face Leinster in the European Champions Cup final after Teddy Thomas’ early double set them on their way to a deserved 27-22 victory over Munster in Bordeaux.
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The Top 14 high-fliers ensured there will be no all-Irish showdown in Bilbao on May 12 with a dominant first-half display, a fightback from spirited Munster coming too late at Stade Chaban-Delmas on Sunday.
Munster were outmuscled by the domineering Paris side, who came flying out of the traps on a hot day, Thomas scoring twice before unselfishly gifting captain Maxime Machenaud a try rather than touching down for a hat-trick after the France wing had raced over for a third time.
Racing led 24-3 at the break and never looked like relinquishing their advantage, Machenaud scoring 12 points with the boot as they reached a second Champions Cup final – two years after losing to Saracens in their first.
Simon Zebo scored a try against the club he will join at the end of the season with 18 minutes remaining and although Rhys Marshall and Andrew Conway went over in the closing stages, it was too little, too late for the two-time European champions.
FULL TIME: @MunsterRugby pushed until the final whistle however @Racing92 held firm and they have booked their place in this season's final. #ChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/HIAJER0cj6
— Investec Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) April 22, 2018
Racing made a blistering start and were rewarded when Virimi Vakatawa’s inviting pass enabled the slippery Thomas to scamper away for a try just four minutes in, Machenaud adding the extras.
Ian Keatley and Rory Scannell failed with drop-goal attempts before the former got Munster on the board with a penalty, but their defence was breached again moments later when the dangerous Vakatawa made a break before feeding Thomas, who raced away for a double.
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Machenaud converted and he was gifted a try soon after, the rapid Thomas proving to be too hot to handle as he darted under the posts and casually tossed the ball back for his captain to dot down.
The France scrum-half converted and added another three points from the tee after the Racing pack earned a penalty following a powerful maul as the Munster forwards struggled to cope with the fired-up Parisians.
Retaliation from Conor Murray enabled Machenaud to slot over another three-pointer, which put Racing 27-3 up early in the second half before he struck the crossbar with another shot at goal.
Munster showed plenty of endeavour and finally found a way through the blue and white wall, wing Zebo finishing following a quick tap and go from Murray just after Marc Andreu was yellow-carded following a flurry of Racing offences.
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Marshall scored a second Munster try off the back of a rolling maul and Conway raced away to dot down right at the end, JJ Hanrahan converting for a second time, but Racing had already done enough to wrap up the semi-final on home soil.
Comments on RugbyPass
It’ll be very interesting to see how Razor’s AB’s handle the new England rush D. It’s basically the Bok recipe they copied, so if England goes well then we know most likely the Boks will go well too. If England cops a hiding then we’ll have to study and adapt.
6 Go to commentsTypical trait of an australian is to moan. Goes well with there lack of humbleness as evident by the Reds bench on the weekend.
2 Go to commentsSBW’s bro’town commentary and lazy default to hyperbole should be ignored, a technical analyst he is not. Sotutu is a good player when games get goosey loosey, high skill set that fans of Zinzan recall with starry eyes. But you need power and mongrel at no8 in the Test arena and Sotutu gets found wanting there, much like Akira Ioane. No8’s like Zinzan and Ardie have bucketloads of mongrel and power and tenacity which allow the skill sets to flourish.
11 Go to commentsAn inside pass to attacker on the angle can make a drift defence look lead footed. Relies on fleet footed forward/s to get across from the breakdown. An argument for the smaller faster 7 perhaps?
6 Go to commentsSensational tackle. The reds one was late and rightly penalised. The other two were simultaneous with the pass. If nitpicking TMOs can’t find fault there clearly isn’t any.
2 Go to commentsBrumbies fully deserved their win on the back of their physicality and desire to control the ball. Xavier Numia, Asafo Aumua and Tyrel Lomax should be the ABs starting front row when we start our test schedule. They have “come of age” and have bested all they have faced as well as been dominant with ball in hand in making the gainline. With De Groot, Tamaiti Williams and Fletcher Newell backed up by Taukei'aho and Cody Taylor there's not an international front row that can trouble us. Can't wait to face the Boks over there, won't be no one point game this time.
7 Go to commentsKinda strange that he wasn’t with a premiership team or a higher level of rugby? Start playing late or something? With that kind of size and athleticism you’d think someone would have picked him up?
2 Go to commentsShows how much attitude matters. Last week the Brumbies got done, this week they dominated the tournament leaders, who were likely thinking they could cruise to victory.
7 Go to commentsA Turtle has more pace and leg drive than Owen Franks, so it’s a good thing he only had to run 90 metres for that try.
2 Go to commentsOh Tamati Tua was in the vastly over-rated Leon MacDonalds Blues system? Well, no wonder he was wasted, much like Emoni Narawa and Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens under MacDonald. now look at them. Good thing Tua isn’t eligible, the Aussies latch on to any player who isn’t tied down.
7 Go to commentsMark Telea is a lot of things, but a defensive juggernaut has never been one of them. There will be far bigger tests in that regard for the youngster.
11 Go to commentsLove and respect to Fiji but not a chance outside of 7s
4 Go to commentsGood summation Ned. Agree the Canes were out-muscled for once (except at the scrum!) by a focused Brumbies outfit. Tua deserves consideration for higher honors after the way he humbled Jordie and the Canes defense. Thankfully, his lack of eligibility for Oz keeps him from Joe’s plans. While I also agree the injuries affected the Canes performance, some players seemed to lack focus and intensity for this match. Perhaps after the Blues demolished the Brumbies, they thought it was going to be easy? A good reminder that any slip up in preparation can have a big affect on the result. Brumbies deserved that win.
7 Go to commentsKarl Dixon should never have been appointed this fixture, absolute disgrace, He’s not much of a referee anyway, didn't have the balls to send his mate care off
5 Go to commentsBrilliant article! Harry of 8/9
6 Go to comments‘UK athletes' have been in the NFL from the start.
2 Go to commentsIt’s going to be Scott Barrett. He’s the coaches mate and captain of a previously elite team. Ardie a great option but scooter has worked with the coach and Ardie still as big a leader as needed.
23 Go to commentsI commend Colin Scotts bio All Balls. He was the first Aussie to make it to NFL. But he was poached and did a full apprenticeship at the University of Hawaii. He was 130kgs surfed played 1st grade cricket etc. big guy by normal but not NFL standards and a top athlete. Even then the nfl were picking up Tongans and Samoans for their natural size and explosive power. They want explosive power not cardio from the big boys so a guy like Taniela Tupou would have been good if picked up young enough. He has fast twitch and they’d bulk the little lad up and give him something to do. soccer teams set up academies and look for Over Sara’s talent eg Messi was at Barcelona since a teenager and harry kewell went to Leeds as a teenager like 16 or something.
11 Go to commentsThe article alludes to the fact that this isn’t about picking a captain. But picking a great captain. So who would make for a great All Black captain - not just an obvious or safe shoo-in? I’m not sure Ardie’s the guy and Barret doesn’t stand out either.
23 Go to commentsI guess we may all agree on the fact, that the ABs and Boks are the two in contest for No 1 in rugby history (the triple-A sort of) …. the Wallabies, England and France are the next tier, with Ireland being the new kid in town (AA) …. in my view it makes little sense creating imaginary competitions (unless you have too much time to waste)
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