Mathieu WARNIER, Media365, published on Sunday January 02, 2022 at 10:55 p.m.

Thanks to a try from Baptiste Couilloud at the very end of the match and a Léo Berdeu of great evenings, Lyon snatched victory on their turf against Racing 92 (37-35).

Lyon has never abdicated. While a second defeat at the Matmut Stadium in Gerland was emerging, after that conceded earlier in the season against Bordeaux-Bègles, the players of Pierre Mignoni gave everything to snatch the four points of victory from the hands of Racing 92. A duel which, from the first to the last minute, was at daggers drawn between the two formations. Indeed, it was absolutely necessary not to arrive late for this weekend poster. The first ten minutes were marked by two tries, which set the tone for the meeting. From the 2nd minute, after a breakthrough signed Jordan Taufua, Léo Berdeu offered support in the right tempo to go flatten, before missing the transformation. The response from Ile-de-France did not wait five minutes through Juan Imhoff. After a brilliant pass from Antoine Gibert, Virimi Vakatawa was able to shift the Argentinian winger who went to conclude, Maxime Machenaud then took charge of placing Racing 92 in the lead on the scoreboard via the transformation. From there, it was the scorers who monopolized the front of the stage. But, with each success of Léo Berdeu followed one of Maxime Machenaud in the following two minutes.

Berdeu wore the LOU

It was then Ben Volavola from the midfield who was responsible for responding to the one who will have scored no less than 27 points in this match. But it was the LOU who took the lead at half-time thanks, once again, to Léo Berdeu. Taking advantage of an acceleration from Xavier Mignot, the Rhone opener defeated three defenders from Ile-de-France to sign a double and, after a new penalty from Maxime Machenaud just before the siren, give the Lyon club two points. A crossover that was not stopped by the break, on the contrary! While Fin Russell came to bring additional experience to Racing 92, Léo Berdeu continued his momentum with a third slope eight minutes after the restart. But a mistake by Toby Arnold was a game-changer. Guilty of a high tackle on Juan Imhoff, the rear of the LOU conceded a five-meter penalty which was played in the main by the Racingmen. Perforating the Rhone defensive curtain, Camille Chat went to flatten and then Maxime Machenaud gave his team back the advantage by not missing the transformation. A test which was immediately followed by … a moment of inattention. Finn Russell missing his pass to Paul Leraître, Thibaut Regard recovered the ball released by the Ile-de-France winger to score a try at the end of a solitary 40-meter course.

Couilloud at the Racing 92 terrace

The scorers then once again took advantage of the opponent’s defensive largesse to move the score. Maxime Machenaud added nine points in eleven minutes with only one response from Léo Berdeu. At the start of the last ten minutes, Racing 92 could count on a three-point mattress which was too thin to generate serenity. The Lyonnais, aware of having a chance to play at the end of the match, then gave their all and it was Baptiste Couilloud, who came into play at the start of the second period, who gave the coup de grace to Laurent Travers’ players. in the penultimate minute. After an acceleration along the touchline signed Xavier Regard, Davit Niniashvili installed a solution to bring the ball back into the five meters of Ile-de-France. Baptiste Couilloud was then perfectly served by the Georgian and, despite the return of the defense of Racing 92, flatten the test for the win. With a tiny margin, the LOU won (37-35) and came back to a point from La Rochelle. On the side of Racing 92, nothing is going any more with a fourth defeat in a row in the championship, the worst series in progress, and a fall which continues in the standings. President Jacky Lorenzetti’s club now ranks 10, one point behind … Stade Français Paris.

TOP 14 / 14TH TRIP
Saturday January 1, 2022
Stade Français Paris – Perpignan: 27-17
Clermont – Toulouse: 16-13

Sunday January 2, 2022
Pau – Brive: 43-20
Bordeaux-Begles – Biarritz: 30-27
Castres – La Rochelle: 31-30
Lyonnais – Race 92: 37-35

Postponed to a later date
Montpellier – Toulon