Paris (AFP)
Bayonne, promoted Pro D2, hit a big shot of entry by winning on the field of Racing 92 (24-17) Saturday at the Arena, for the first day of Top 14.
The club Hauts-de-Seine fell back in its last year: crumbling last season at home, with four defeats in its Arena, Racing version 2019-2020 has once again dropped despite ten points ahead of the pause (17-7).
Too unruly, the locals have also collected two yellow cards, which cost them dearly: Yoan Tanga Mangene (62nd, chosen shirt) and Hassane Kolingar (73rd, high tack).
But a superb feat by former French Stade winger Djibril Camara, who resisted four defenders to offer the test to Michael Ruru (7-7, 24th), in the heart of Racing's domination, had shown that the Basques were able to create danger at any time.
They proved it in the second half by depriving Racing of the ball, which was largely domineering in scrum. Result, the men of Laurent Travers did not register a single point in the second period. Worse, the Racingmen let the promoted scrub to return to height around the hour of play (17-16, 62) before passing a few minutes later (21-17, 67th).
The Parisians, however, had to think of having the game in hand after the two tries of rookie Yoan Tanga Mangene (7-0, 21st) and the experienced Juan Imhoff (17-7, 31st), as the level gap seemed screaming.
But the two temporary exclusions, while Racing seemed on the brink of asphyxiation, offered more space to the Basques. Which did not get private with fourteen points scored in the last twenty minutes.
The absence of a dozen players, between selections (Volavola, Russell, Gogichashvili, Tameifuna, Cat, Machenaud, Lauret, Roux, Vakatawa) and injuries (Trinh-Duc, Ben Arous, Thomas), do not explain everything. They seemed able to react only when the siren had already sounded.
It was the referee who put an end to their hopes by refusing at the very last minute to give a try at the foot of the posts in the last action of the match.
Non-existent in the second half, the locals will have to recover next week, once again at home, facing opposition from another level, with the arrival of Castres.
The astonishing Bayonnais, they will face a new test with the reception of the vice-champion of France Clermont.
© 2019 AFP