Top 14 (5th day): RC Vannes – Racing 92: 24-27
1 Two opposing Vannes halves
What a first half for Vannes! It was they who opened the scoring: a first since they moved up to the Top 14 by Salesi Rayasi who scored this first try (9′, converted by Maxime Lafage). Solid in defense, compact in the scrum, the men of Jean-Noël Spitzer, who experienced the match (the last of his suspension) in the stands, arrived at half-time with 7 points ahead of Racing (2nd try scored by Cyril Blancherd 40′, transformed by Lafage). The second half is less precise for the Morbihannais. Racing 92 pushed hard, spending almost the entire second half in the Blue and White camp. They ended up finding the fault: two tries (Kaitu’u 56′; Fickou 65′) and a penalty and here they are in front. The last quarter of an hour is for the Vannes who end up scoring a third try which does not allow them to win a second match at home. Beaten 27-24, it’s a short but fourth defeat in five matches.
2 Nolann Le Garrec uncompromising on the feet
Twelve points! A faultless foot, Nolann Le Garrec showed himself. From the fifth minute, the local boy, Nolann Le Garrec gave the Vannes people a cold sweat by scoring a try. But the latter is refused after viewing. It was finally the Vannes who opened the scoring a few minutes later through Salesi Rayasi (try converted by Maxime Lafage, 9′). But Le Garrec had not said his last word and four minutes later, he scored his first points at La Rabine by putting the two teams back on level terms (7-7, 15′) by converting a try scored by Vinaya Habosi. Despite some small inaccuracies on a few passes, the Vannes resident of Racing 92 had no mercy: three conversions and two penalties. He was imperial.
3 Defensive bonus
They fought and they went to get this defensive bonus. After a good part of the second half in their camp, the Vannes had to find the resources to infiltrate the Racing 92 camp. Two minutes from regulation time, the young Thomas Moukoro managed to pierce the Parisian defense to offer the Blues a third try. Maxime Lafage did not miss the transformation and the Vannes residents finished the match with the defensive bonus in their bag.
The technical sheet
Referee: Tual Trainini
The points. VANNES: 3 tries Rayasi (10′), Blanchard (40’+1), Moukoro (80′); 3 Lafage transformations; 1 Lafage penalty (23′). RACING 92: 3 tries Habosi (15′), Kaitu’ u (58′), Fickou (65′); 3 Le Garrec conversions; 2 Le Garrec penalties (35′, 71′).
Temporary exclusions. Vannes : Arrate (63′). Racing 92 : Kaitu’ u (78′)
VALVES: Surano (Debaes 72′) – Rayasi, Saili, Arrate (Vili 25′, Arrate 37′), Nakosi – (o) Lafage, (m) J. Le Bail (Gouaux 64′) – Gorrissen, Kalamafoni, Edwards (Kamikamica 57′ ‘) – Metz (Edwards 68′), C. van der Merwe (Bresler 57′) – Medrano (Tafili 64′), Blanchard (Beziat 57’), M. Vunipola.
RACING 92 : Spring – Tuisova (Gibert 70′), Fickou, James (Lancaster 57′), Habosi – (o) O. Farrell, (m) Le Garrec – Diallo (Joseph 57′), Dayimani (Baudonne 41′), Woki – Palu (Sanconnie 49′, Diallo 75′), Kpoku (Palu 75′) – Laclayat (Kharaishvili 41′), Couly (Gogichashvili 41′), Ben Arous (Kaitu’ u 41′).
