VIDEO. Top 14: valiant Castres bow to the wire on the Racing lawn (25-19)
Castres Olympique opened the 2022-2023 season of the Top 14 with a trip to Racing 92. Despite strong resistance in Nanterre, the Tarnais lost in the last minutes of the match 25-19.
The movie of the game
During the first 20 minutes, the Castres are equal and punish the indiscipline of the Racingmen. Thanks to the imperial boot of Julien Dumora who achieves a 3/3 on the foot, the CO leads 3-9.
25′: Try by Ibrahim Diallo. Placed as a winger, the third wing line of Racing 92 found a nice movement from the locals initiated by a dangerous pass but which made the difference, on the middle line, by Finn Russell. Diallo is then ideally served by winger Enzo Benmegal, who pierces the Castres defense. Untransformed trial. 8-9
32′: Try by Cedate Gomes Sa. The French pillar rewards more enterprising Ile-de-France residents who occupied the 22 opponents. Following a touch 5m from the line in Castres, Gomes Sa scored a real three-quarter try by overflowing Baptiste Delaporte and Nick Champion de Crespigny to finish in goal. Converted test. 15-9
55′: Try by Filipo Nakosi. The CO winger is at the conclusion of a nice movement from the back line with in particular a nice jump from the young opening half Louis Le Brun to the incoming Josaia Raisuqe, who fixes the last defender and serves Nakosi who just have to finish the job. Converted test. 15-19
76′: Olivier Klemenczak’s try for victory. The young winger Enzo Benmegal, again, recovers a ball high on the 50m line and raises by hand. He drops Antoine Zeghdar then serves inside his forwards who chain the passes before finding the Ile-de-France center which has discovered in pieces. Converted test. 25-19
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REPLAY. Top 14: Castres beaten in the last minutes by Racing (25-19)! Relive the film of the match
The speed of Racing 92
First game of the season and therefore for both teams, this resulted in a lot of inaccuracies on both sides, especially at the start of the game for the locals. But once the Racingmen managed to accelerate and set up their game, on their synthetic turf at the Paris La Défense Arena, the Tarnais seemed overwhelmed, as evidenced by the first try of the meeting scored by Ibrahim Diallo.
Arrata, the detonator
The CO scrum half delivered a very good score this afternoon. The Uruguayan was the most enterprising Castrese and the one who blasted the defense of Racing 92. He twice pierced the defensive curtain of the Ile-de-France residents with a solo raid of more than 50m in the 17th min or even in the 67th min. where he recovers a ball on the halfway line and sits down Finn Russell to enter the opposing 22m.
Lessons from the game
Very serious match for Pierre-Henry Broncan’s men, who unfortunately did not bring back any points from this perilous trip to Racing 92. To remember on the CO side, the awkwardness in touch which cost many opportunities. Next meeting for the Tarnais next Saturday, September 10, at home against Stade Français at 5 p.m.