ANALYSIS. Racing – Toulouse: the Stadium with food and drink… Are the “red and black”, who narrowly won Racing 92, ready for the European Cup?

What a strange match. The Stadium should have won it much earlier, it then almost lost it and it still managed to catch it with its fingertips, with forceps, in a certain form of logic given the procrastination of a Racing which plunged into crisis despite a healthy reaction, thanks to its bench, in the second half. A strange match on a thick, high pitch which seemed to greatly hamper the players in setting the pace; a match where the Ile-de-France residents conceded as many points as penalties in the first period (11) before indiscipline and doubts changed sides. As there are limits to everything, we will not go so far as to talk about reaching 7th heaven for Ugo Mola's men with this 7th success in a row against Racing 92, especially at this stage of the season.

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However, the “red and black” took four precious points, in a tricky match, stuck between the autumn tests and the Champions Cup, leaving a lot of executives to rest (Dupont, Meafou, Flament, Mauvaka , Roumat, Mallia, Saito) and without losing too many feathers, the injury to the shoulder of Cros (exit in the 36th) does not seem too serious. Balance therefore clearly positive when assessing this trip to Créteil, in a stadium which was previously that of local footballers in Ligue 2 and which only has rugby on the recently installed posts.

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The fanfare to accompany this ambient circus

To tell the truth, the Racingmen did not contribute to giving him a fifteenth label in the first period. First dismissal from Lancaster blocked, first pass from Le Garrec forward, first ruck and first scrum sanctioned, first clearance from Le Garrec also blocked, first touch not straight, it's an understatement to say that the Ile-de-France residents started in the glue at because of their trouble meter at zero given the pressure context. The fanfare ideally accompanied this ambient circus.

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Full of possession and occupation, clearly superior in scrum, much cleaner quite simply without being super incisive and sharp, the Toulouse residents did not immediately do much with this mastery, in particular because of three escaped balls in the 22 opposing meters and a tempo not always optimized in transmissions between three-quarters. After two penalties from Ramos and a save from Lebel on Habosi (28), during Racing 92's only lightning strike, the Ile-de-France residents were however punished for their indiscipline (8 fouls in 30 minutes). Yellow card for Dayimani, try in the wake of Willis: 11-0 for the Stade at rest, really cheap pay.

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Total change of scenery upon resumption. Six fouls in 15 minutes for Toulouse, a yellow from Chocobares (53), two pawns in force from Tarrit (46) and Joseph (54), tonic entries, a goal from Le Garrec and a 17-0 for the “ciel et white “. Everything to do again. A penalty taken by Merkler (72) and the precision of Ramos under pressure, while Lancaster took a fatal yellow (75), allowed the Stadium to avoid major disappointment given the first impressions.

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A little to eat and drink. But given the schedule, there isn't much time to be choosy.