Clermont-Ferrand (AFP)

François Trinh-Duc may have finally torn his label of "Mr. bad luck": the opener of Racing 92 "is in the process of regaining his level", according to his teammates, and he even scored a test in coming off the bench on Saturday against Clermont (36-27), in the quarter-final of the European Cup.

The list of his physical problems is long: after his non-selection for the 2015 World Cup, the opener has chained the disappointments.

In 2016 and 2018, he suffered a broken forearm.

In August 2019 against Brive, a few weeks after his arrival at Racing, same sentence ... This third injury of the same type forced him to be kept away from the field for four months ... Finally, a breakdown against La Rochelle at the end of February for his first tenure with Racing 92 finished maintaining the negative spiral.

But, soon to be 34, François Trinh-Duc no longer has time to think about the past.

Against ASM on Saturday night, he even caught up.

Entered in the 22nd minute to replace the injured Dupichot, the former Toulonnais punctuated the first half of Racing 92 with a test in the 39th.

In the opposing thirty meters, the Héraultais managed to kick a little kick over in the 22 meters Clermont.

When the ball fell, Matsushima and Penaud communicated poorly and Trinh-Duc recovered the offering to register the second try.

A soloist achievement that allowed Racing 92 to return with a 16-point lead at the break.

An entry that did not surprise his teammate Teddy Iribaren.

"He was equal to himself, said the scrum half. He is a great player: we do not have 66 caps for the France team for nothing ... He has had a lot of injuries in the past years and there, he returns to his best level. We know his qualities, it is not a surprise for me, in any case ", explains the captain of Ile-de-France.

- His second test of 2020 -

Tactically, Trinh-Duc often came to scramble the waters in the area of ​​number 10, swapping with the opener Finn Russell to hamper the Auvergne defense.

And give valuable advice to his teammates.

With the 23 on the back, a number usually assigned to the right pillars, 'FTD' has also established itself among the executives of the Ile-de-France group.

Like the Chat, Lauret or Le Roux, he has this experience and can be valuable to young people.

Laurent Travers, his trainer, can rely on him too.

"He is having a good comeback. There are 23 players and this is the state of mind that reigns within this club. The whole club has won tonight. We must not forget that 'we are in the final phase but behind, there are still other matches ... ", explained the Ile-de-France coach.

"It was important that there was a unit, a group. The players demonstrated it this evening. François or another, there may be injuries or poor performances which mean that, on the weekend of "After that, there are others. It's important to keep that balance and that level of performance," added Travers.

In contract until 2022, vice-world champion in 2011 and winner of the 2010 Six Nations Tournament, he is still chasing a first club title.

Vice-champion of France in 2011 with Montpellier and in 2017 with Toulon, he hopes to finally win a trophy this season.

Like his club, two-time Champions Cup finalists in 2016 and 2018. After his test in Clermont, François Trinh-Duc will hope that this end of his career will reserve him other favorable rebounds.

© 2020 AFP