La Defense (France) (AFP)
Laborious and ineffective for a long time, Racing 92 ended up winning in pain in front of the promoted Perpignan (17-14), Saturday during the 6th day of the Top 14.
Laurent Travers' men, yet in numerical superiority after the yellow card of Mathieu Acebes (29th), had to wait for the second period and tests from Ibrahim Diallo (50th) and Antoine Gibert (61st) to force the lock Catalan.
Dominating but too clumsy, they even played with fire by easing off in the last quarter of an hour, leaving Perpignan to come back through Matteo Rodor (68th, 77th).
Too late.
This fourth victory of the season still allows the Ile-de-France residents to climb to 4th place in the standings while Usap remains stuck in the second part of the table, stuck in 11th place.
The outcome was expected: the Sang et Or have not beaten Racing 92 since October 2012 and remained on a draw and four defeats, including two heavy setbacks 52-14 and 64-28 during the last Catalan season in Top 14 .
The teammates of the back of the Blues Melvyn Jaminet, left to rest for this meeting, had not won outside since April 2020 and a successful trip to Béziers (19-14).
But the promoted player bravely played his luck, for a long time to foil a Racing team which has not yet found its cruising speed.
Between the hesitation of Max Spring (22nd), the failed penalty of Teddy Iribaren (27th) or the five balls lost in touch, the Hauts-de-Seine club did not show its best face.
Whatever, the Ciel et Blanc are in the nails before a block of three complicated matches in Toulon then against Montpellier and Toulouse.
For its part, Usap receives the French Stadium, red lantern before its Sunday meeting against Clermont.
© 2021 AFP