Racing 92 will not play in its fourth Rugby Champions Cup final after losing to La Rochelle on Sunday May 15 in Lens. The people of Ile-de-France lost 13-20 in the second semi-final of the European competition, which pitted two French teams against each other.
Exceptionally, the Defense Arena being unavailable, the meeting took place under the heat of the Bollaert-Delelis stadium in Lens, in Pas-de-Calais.
Lots of penalties
Les Ciel et Blanc opened the scoring with a penalty and took the lead thanks to a try from Vakatawa in the 26th minute, transformed by Nolann le Garrec (10-0). The Rochelais then showed themselves to be more offensive, first by scoring on a penalty then with a try just before half-time scored by Greg Alldritt (10-8).
Back from the locker room, the points follow one another on penalties. First Racing in the 51st minute then a Rochelais penalty try in the 53rd (13-15). On both sides, the yellow cards handicapped the two teams for several minutes.
A Franco-Irish final
They gauged each other, multiplying the penalties (more than thirty in all) and finally, Racing cracked in the very last seconds, attacked on its line by La Rochelle who scored a try, with Wast (13-20) at the 80th minute.
A sluggish match but which allows La Rochelle to find the Irish of Leinster in the final, who won against Toulouse on Saturday. The match will take place at the Vélodrome stadium in Marseille on Saturday 28 May.