Paris (AFP)

Even if they failed to produce 80 minutes of the same intensity, Clermont, Racing 92 and Lyon found what they had come to pick on the third day of the European Cup, Friday and Saturday: a victory to reassure themselves after last performances in half-tone.

+ ASM and Racing, successful journeys

Both candidates for the title, Clermont and Racing 92 could not afford to miss points in British soil to not compromise their qualification. Mission accomplished, Bath (34-17) and Scarlet (40-19) respectively, and with the offensive bonus point that allows them to collect points on their competitors.

In Pool 3, the Auvergnats (11 pts) return to a length of Ulster (12 pts), winner without the bonus of Harlequins (25-24), as the Munster (11 pts) Saracens (10-3) in Pool 4 where the Parisians are leading (12 pts). Even if they do not bury the two English clubs, a duel is emerging with the two Irish provinces for first place. With this in mind, Clermont and Racing have a big shot to play next weekend, since they will receive (the same opponents) while Ulster and Munster will move into hostile territory.

Beyond the gross result, the two French clubs have alternated good and bad, as from the beginning of the season. The ASM has, as in Ulster during the previous day (13-18) missed its opening match, she had promised to treat.

Come to Wales to make a full match after losing to Bordeaux-Bègles in the Top 14 (34-30), already his third of the season at home, Racing has almost stopped playing after half an hour after pocketing the offensive bonus point against an out-of-bound opponent.

+ First and good deal for the LOU

The LOU also had to win to restart the machine after three defeats in all competitions. And stay alive in the European Cup after two losses, bringing his total to eight since he discovered it last season. This black series has finally ended, against the modest Italians of Treviso (28-0), and this first victory in his history allows him to still believe in qualifying via one of the three best second-place tickets.

The wide win (43-16) of the Leinster (14 pts) in Northampton (9 pts) is indeed the business of Lyonnais, returned to three points of the English, they will receive on the last day. At the next, they will go to Italy with the goal of winning a new and improved success.

Pierre Mignoni's men, however, will have to make a better copy in the second half at Gerland where, rough drafts, they scored only eight points, waiting even to the last five minutes to get the bonus point offensive.

+ La Rochelle, spring without Europe

For the first time in three years, La Rochelle will not see the quarter-finals of a European competition: quarter finalists of the European Cup in 2018 for their first participation, finalists of the European Challenge in 2019, the Maritimes are eliminated after their third loss in Pool 2, at home against Glasgow (27-24).

They also alternated the good and the bad, including a cruel lack of realism in the image of these two match balls missed in the last moments. They can now focus on the championship, where they are currently out of six qualified for the finals.

© 2019 AFP