Racing dent Toulouse play-off hopes
Racing 92 significantly aided their championship ambitions and, as result, effectively ended Toulouse’s own top-six hopes following a narrow 10-8 triumph.
Although Les Rouge et Noir went into the encounter in 12th position they still could have made the end of season play-offs, but another poor display ultimately left their supporters frustrated.
The hosts created plenty of opportunities in the first half but it was Gael Fickou’s costly intervention that allowed the defending champions to build a 10-3 advantage at the interval.
With the visitors looking to cross the whitewash out wide Fickou deliberately knocked the ball out of Gerbrandt Grobler’s hands, leading to a penalty try and sin-binning for the centre.
Dan Carter then converted – his second successful effort off the tee after an earlier penalty – as they opened up a 10-point buffer.
Samuel Marques reduced the arrears for Ugo Mola’s men at the break but they continued to struggle in the second period.
Creating chances was not an issue but taking them, in the face of fierce resistance, was their downfall. Although Toulouse eventually broke through via Maxime Medard, after the away side had been reduced to 13 men following cards for Viliamu Afatia and Ben Tameifuna, it was too late and Racing held on.
The scorers:
For Toulouse:
Try: Médard
Pen: Marques
Yellow Card: Fickou
For Racing:
Try: Penalty Try
Con: Carter
Pen: Carter
Yellow Card: Tameifuna
Red Card: Afatia
Toulouse: 15 Maxime Médard, 14 Arthur Bonneval, 13 Yann David, 12 Gaël Fickou, 11 Yoann Huget, 10 Luke McAlister, 9 Samuel Marques, 8 Tala Gray, 7 Yacouba Camara, 6 Thierry Dusautoir, 5 Patricio Albacete, 4 Piula Fa’asalele, 3 Census Johnston, 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 1 Vasil Kakovin
Replacements: 16 Julien Marchand, 17 Gurthrö Steenkamp, 18 Joe Tekori, 19 Gillian Galan, 20 François Cros, 21 Sébastien Bezy, 22 Toby Flood, 23 Dorian Aldegheri
Racing: 15 Brice Dulin, 14 Joe Rokocoko, 13 Henry Chavancy, 12 Casey Laulala, 11 Juan Imhoff, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Maxime Machenaud, 8 Leone Nakarawa, 7 Yannick Nyanga, 6 Wenceslas Lauret, 5 Bernard Le Roux, 4 Gerbrandt Grobler, 3 Ben Tameifuna, 2 Virgile Lacombe, 1 Viliamu Afatia
Replacements: 16 Camille Chat, 17 Khatchik Vartanov, 18 Manuel Carizza, 19 Chris Masoe, 20 James Hart, 21 Remi Tales, 22 Teddy Thomas, 23 Luc Ducalcon
Referee: Pascal Gauzere
Assistant Referees: Luc Ramos, Thierry Guilloton
TMO: Jean-Marie Piraveau