This weekend, for the eleventh day of Top 14, Lyon has sunk further into an unprecedented crisis. The Rhone residents lost on the Hameau lawn against a Paloise Section which leaves the red zone. Racing is also worried. The Ile-de-France residents fell at home against Toulouse (17-21), while Vannes achieved the feat of the week. The Bretons won on the field of La Rochelle and proved that we should count on them more than ever in such a competitive Top 14. Despite the victory, the Toulouse hinge did not weigh. Here is the information from the weekend not to be missed.
The Double Section Lyon which can no longer do it
But what is happening at LOU? So convincing at the start of the season, the team led by Fabien Gengenbacher got stuck in an unprecedented disaster. The Lyonnais have just experienced their fifth consecutive defeat and have not known the joys of a victory for a month and a half. This Saturday, at the foot of the Pyrenees, facing a Paloise Section also plagued by doubt, they sank, accepting a defeat without relief, deserved (29-15).
As a result, Baptiste Couilloud's gang, worried and finds himself in a sad thirteenth placeonly three points ahead of Vannes, the red lantern cheered up. The Rouge et Noir, who offered such an attractive game at the start of the year, never stops sinking. After a mixed last season, and when we thought they were capable of climbing into the Top 6, are they condemned to play for survival? It looks like it. The upcoming Challenge Cup could allow organisms to regenerate and why not win a match again to start a positive dynamic.
Because nothing seems to be going well. And it is becoming urgent to stop this infernal series otherwise the future will darken inexorably. Quite the opposite of Pau, who remained, like his opponent of the day, with four losses. The Béarnais, in front of their audience, were able to move forward to get out of the red zone and double the LOU. But nothing is done.
Racing running out of fuel, qualification already far away?
After the loss suffered a week earlier in the Paris derby, we knew the Racing 92 was expected. Opposed to a Stade Toulousain always impressive, with its host of international players, the Ile-de-France residents have once again fallen in Créteil and they too continue to tumble down the rankings.
Eighth at the dawn of this shock, still in the same position to this day, the Hauts-de-Seine club is five lengths behind La Rochelle, sixth and first to qualify. Apathetic in the first half, unable to be dangerous with the ball in hand except for two solo numbers from winger Habosi, Racing 92 is intriguing. Without a real game plan, dominated up front, the Ciel et Blanc finally reacted upon returning from the locker room, scoring two strong tries. And while we thought they were capable of achieving an unexpected success given the scenario of the first act, the locals gave in to the Toulouse attacks. From there to wonder if this team, always in the six at the end of the season since its comeback in 2009, is capable of securing qualification during the epilogue of the season.
Of course, it is at the end of the ball that we pay the musicians. But rarely in previous yearsRacing had seemed so dull in the gamewith a collective that seems almost non-existent. Despite strong individualities on paper, Stuart Lancaster's team is not progressing and it is difficult to see what the English coach wants to put in place. So be careful. In view of its plethoric workforce, Racing still has all the cards in hand to secure a qualification over the next fifteen days. But you will have to raise the cursor and show something else to achieve this.
Graou and Ntamack in difficulty, hinge problem in Toulouse
As we have just mentioned, Stade Toulousain won in Créteil, against Racing 92 (17-21).But he couldn't count on his hinge. Completely overwhelmed, Paul Graou and Romain Ntamack did not deliver performances up to their level. The first, in difficulty since the start of the season, did not weigh on the meeting and was much too slow coming out of the ruck. He is currently behind Dupont and Saito.
The second, just returned from injury, which explains this lack of rhythmalso went through the match like a ghost. In particular, he was put twice on the buttocks by Tuisova and was not transcendent with ball in hand. The return of Dupont and the sequence of matches could allow number ten to regain their level. We are not worried about him but he will have to raise his level considerably otherwise Ugo Mola will surely put him on the bench for the next games. But such champions never admit defeat.
Vannes is crazy!
We may be on one of the exploits of the season. Facing a solid Stade Rochelais, which plays in the big leagues, RC Vannes created a sensation by winning at Deflande (14-23). And above all demonstrated immense proof of character.
Little flashback. Last week, the promoted Breton lead largely against Union Bordeaux-Bègles (29-0). At the half-hour mark, we are not far from the Girondin hopes and we contemplate the first period of very good character of Jean-Noël Spitzer's men. Then nothing more. Vannes collapses and suffers a scathing 37-0 to lose without bonus (29-37). To tell you the truth, we could have thought, on the evening of the tenth day, this already crippling defeat in the race for maintenance. Not so much in relation to the score, but more for the impact that such a scenario can have on people's minds of a team that fights every weekend to ensure its survival.
So this trip to La Rochelle could have definitively pushed Vannes into a negative dynamic. But instead, the Bretons revolted and produced a resounding feat. A clean, flawless victory against a team that had recently doubled as European champions. As a reminder, to all those who would have buried them too quickly to confirm that it will be well worth counting on this long-toothed promotion. With this first away victory in the Top 14, the first in its history, the RCV can move forward with confidence on the rest of its season. Certainly, the people of Vannes are still last. But the next matches can allow this team to achieve success and move up the rankings. They are only three lengths from Lyon thirteenth, and four from Stade Français, Pau or Perpignan. Of course, the task does not look easy. But with such a mindset, nothing is impossible.
