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Tue 7 Apr 2015 | 11:08
Marcelo Bosch last gasp Quarter Final penalty sinks Racing Metro

30
Comments

Saracens defeated Racing Metro 12-11 in the quarter-finals of the European Champions Cup this weekend, but only found victory with the final kick of the match. 

An incredibly close fought affair between the French giants and last year's finalists Saracens brought only one try, and the result wasn't decided until the last minute of play.

Man of the match, Racing Metro scrum-half Maxime Machenaud, displayed an all round masterclass in game management and distribution, not to mention scoring all of his team's points, but his performance alone wasn't enough to defeat the English club.

Despite leading at the break 6-5, Saracens went behind in the second-half and for all their efforts it looked as if they were going to finish the match second best. Error strewn attacking play constantly handing possession back to the home side, and the visitor's could see their European campaign slipping away. 

Within the final minute, Racing were attempting to run down the clock and defend their two point lead by maintaining possession on their own ten metre line, whilst hawk eyed referee Nigel Owens could be heared to warn the French side about going off their feet in the ruck.

In the next tackle however, Racing were penalised for exactly such an offence having not heeded Owens' clearly audible warnings.

Up stepped the Argentinian outside-centre for Saracens, well known for his monster boot, Marcelo Bosch.

Despite rather "un-rugby-like" noises from the crowd attempting to distract Bosch, his aim was true and the subsequent whistle brought joy for Saracens and heartbreak for Racing Metro, as their European challenge ended in the cruelest of circumstances. 

Saracens will face Clermont Auvergne in the next round, the semi finals, on April 18th. 

Saracens have shared a great video showing the reaction from the bench as Bosch kicked the winner. You can view that on page two here, and check out the Related Posts for more monster penalty kicks. 

credit: Boucherie Ovalie 

Posted By: mattmon10

30 Comments

  • stroudos
    7:52 AM 16/04/2015

    Jesus Larry, I'm not that old!! I do qualify for vets rugby but not by much... I played a bit of rugby at school 20-25 years ago, but only really got into playing regularly in the last 10-15 years. And I do still play - infrequently and at a "sociable" level.

    I agree with you that I prefer a more fluid game, but generally speaking I'm against too much tinkering with the laws. Smart teams/coaches will always find solutions to problems. Good example here where Saracens players "dummied" the ruck causing the Racing boys to go off their feet.

  • larry
    2:23 AM 11/04/2015

    Did he ref that match? Well, he sure didn't see those two forward passes in New Zealand's last rush to score.

  • larry
    2:21 AM 11/04/2015

    25 to 40 years ago was when I was playing regularly. After that was the occasional 35 or 40+ match. I've been reffing for quite a few years.

  • larry
    2:19 AM 11/04/2015

    I imagine that you might have played some years back, and not in the recent past. I played quite a time ago, like 25-30 years ago when forwards fought for the ball. My problem is that the laws should be changed so that the Saracens, in that situation, can come across and get that ball that's just sitting there not being used! Either that or the ref blows up play and the Saracens get a free kick in the same situation. Enough of static rucks and the team in possession having their players in the ruck "bridge" over the ball if there's no defensive players binding on. Perhaps the white team, seeing no defenders join in the ruck, should pick up the ball and run with it, like that guy Ellis did in 1823!

  • drg
    4:16 PM 10/04/2015

    I can jump on the conspiracy wagon here... he said it in English and Racing are French players, so they didn't understand it... favouritism.. :D

  • benny
    9:32 PM 09/04/2015

    If Nigel Owens tells you 30 seconds from time to keep your feet, you had better keep your feet. Every NZer who has watched the last minute of Ireland vs NZ, 2013 twenty times has that voice etched into their memories.

  • stroudos
    7:51 AM 09/04/2015

    Max, would you like some salt or ketchup for that massive chip on your shoulder? :)

  • stroudos
    7:46 AM 09/04/2015

    Just noticed Bosch at 1:33, clearly thinking "hang on, if I knock this kick over I'll probably get my picture on Rugbydump - better sort the hair out!"

  • stroudos
    7:39 AM 09/04/2015

    Agree with you Larry. Very boring and negative period of play and I was delighted to see it blow up in their boring faces. This was the rugby equivalent of a football team pissing about by the corner flag "protecting their lead" for the last five minutes of a game.

    Don't know if it was a deliberate play by Saracens but they showed a neat way to deal with that approach- simply pull out of the ruck situation- the attacking players meeting no resistance are bound to go off their feet as nothing to push against.

  • stroudos
    7:39 AM 09/04/2015

    Agree with you Larry. Very boring and negative period of play and I was delighted to see it blow up in their boring faces. This was the rugby equivalent of a football team pissing about by the corner flag "protecting their lead" for the last five minutes of a game.

    Don't know if it was a deliberate play by Saracens but they showed a neat way to deal with that approach- simply pull out of the ruck situation- the attacking players meeting no resistance are bound to go off their feet as nothing to push against.

  • larry
    12:58 AM 09/04/2015

    My question is this: is that supposed to be rugby? Static boring "rucks?"

  • larry
    12:56 AM 09/04/2015

    Was that supposed to be rugby? I mean really, that has to be the most boring segment of play I've ever seen called rugby union. The team in white deserved to lose playing that sort of cat and mouse game. But then again, because of the laws as they exist now, a team can play that "guaranteed possession" phony ruck over and over where nothing absolutely happens. Funny, some twenty years plus back the laws were changed about mauls and rucks and the team going forward at a breakdown no longer were going to get the put in at the scrum. All that 'use it or lose it' garbage regarding mauls. But we have now garbage rucks; and when are the laws going to change that says a team has five seconds to use the ball when it is just lying there at the so-called rear player's rear foot while forwards either stand around doing nothing or fanning out in defense? And it shouldn't be just a scrum to the team not in possession that hasn't had it's scrum half or acting scrum half pick the damn ball up and use it within that five seconds, but a free kick to the non-offending team!

  • 11:03 PM 08/04/2015

    Would rather see Saracens go shake hands with the opposition straight after the kick rather than jumping in glory themselves. Plenty of time to celebrate. Being glorious in defeat is shown on how you respond to the losing team.

  • danknapp
    2:50 PM 08/04/2015

    I guess it just seems rude, that's all.

  • mattmon10
    9:03 AM 08/04/2015

    That is my favourite use of Copyright ever.

  • stroudos
    8:41 AM 08/04/2015

    Owens as usual not afraid to make the big decisions. No doubt here - I counted three Racing players off their feet, (seemed harsh how the cameras focused on that one bloke).

    Racing deserved that too - their keep-ball tactics were more dull than that Scottish game that was posted on RD a few weeks ago. Really boring.

  • stroudos
    8:38 AM 08/04/2015

    Once heard in commentary at a live motorcycling event:
    "This boy must have onion bhajis of steel!"

    I love the calmness of the guy. Looked like he was just knocking balls over at the end of a training session. The bloke would make a fantastic hitman.

  • 3:53 AM 08/04/2015

    People tend to have a tough time with different rugby cultures on this site.

    I wish more refs made the call Owens did, rugby is becoming incredibly boring at the end of the game. Should be a proper contest for the ball throughout. Still hate sarries though.

  • marty
    12:38 AM 08/04/2015

    Always impressive to watch Marcelo Bosch kick. He's the one when it comes to long distance, strikes it easy and makes monster kicks, amazing

  • marty
    12:24 AM 08/04/2015

    Thanks! (make our hockey players look like weirdos even more)

  • kadova
    10:00 PM 07/04/2015

    In several stadium in France, the crowd consider themselves as the 16th player. So they think booing the opponent is their duty and it is in no way disrespectful. Although i tend to disagree, i can accept that.

  • mattmon10
    9:38 PM 07/04/2015

    It's a new piece of technology being used in an effort to tackle concussion damage. It's known as the xPatch and can measure the size and the angle of hits to the head.

  • reality
    8:29 PM 07/04/2015

    The only thing I'd reprimand Owens for in this case is not giving a penalty earlier. They illegally sealed off at nearly every single ruck between the scrum and the penalty.

  • danknapp
    8:15 PM 07/04/2015

    Owens warned them about it at the breakdown before, you can hear it on the tape. Once again he did well - yes, it might seem like a tough decision, but you'd give a penalty for that at other points in the match and he did give them warning.

    Sad to hear the crowd booing, but lots of kickers have said that silence is harder to kick in. Well taken kick.

  • welshosprey
    6:17 PM 07/04/2015

    Racing were absolutely shocking. How can they go from destroying Northampton to that. It's not even like Saracens played particularly well.

  • drg
    4:35 PM 07/04/2015

    At the top of this post, that picture of Bosch taking the kick... he looks so relaxed... I actually thought it was a still of him doing a celebratory dance or something... can can?

  • colombes
    3:52 PM 07/04/2015

    a bish-bash match saved by bosch ;)

    even if i'm not a big fan of the Racingmen, they were very unlucky to lose this match as they blew away many chances vs a very conservative team. Exactly like bath vs leinster.

  • mattmon10
    3:34 PM 07/04/2015

    Definitely the best way to silence a crowd. Hats off to Bosch for his professionalism and composure.

  • discowinger14
    2:34 PM 07/04/2015

    terrible, terrible, terrible, terrible, terrible

  • jimmy23
    1:58 PM 07/04/2015

    Well at least one English team got through, lets not talk about that Saints game...

    Nothing better than hearing a jeering crowd getting reduced to silence.

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