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Mon 23 Apr 2018 | 01:50
Racing 92 blow Munster away to reach Europe final

16
Comments

Three tries in the opening 21 minutes helped Racing 92 beat Munster 27-22 to reach their second Champions Cup final.

Flying winger Teddy Thomas strolled over for the first two tries, before again splitting the Munster defence open and giving the ball to Maxime Machenaud for his hat-trick avoidance.

Simon Zebo got a try against his future club while late efforts from Rhys Marshall and Andrew Conway left the scoreboard looking a lot better than Munster's performance actually deserved.

Thomas, Yannick Nyanga and Virimi Vakatawa showed the French national side what they missed during the recent Six Nations with strong running and some clinical tries being scored.

The win means that hopes of an all-Irish final have been dashed, with Racing facing Leinster - unbeaten in Europe this season after their 38-16 drubbing of Scarlets - in the final at Bilbao. 

You can view the highlights below.

Posted By: c_gillon

16 Comments

  • drg
    10:21 AM 27/04/2018

    Regardless of how good a team is, even the worlds best can have their off days and decisions go against them... If I was an NZ supporter and next match was against Somalia or something, I'd still suggest an air of humility around on the off chance some kiwis get red carded etc..

    ...I was going to edit your original comment to make it sound less footballery, but it's not possible.. fun fact, "the pathetic play acting and diving" certainly will work if the referee falls for it, it could result in a red card for Leinster and all of a sudden it could totally change the dynamic of the game...

  • drg
    6:01 PM 26/04/2018

    Sounds like a side order to accompany couscous and hummus...

    But you make a valid point mon ami.

  • drg
    9:52 AM 26/04/2018

    To be honest I missed the game. But by all accounts the right team won, which is good of course. Also, the fact that Racing, which has generally been a bit "middle" has beaten one of the traditionally big power house teams, is very good for the competition, allows teams to reflect of their naivety and also the with need to reflect on their hard work to get to where they are.

    The rest of the stuff can now be discussed on a new video posted by RD.

    Well done Racing!

  • oliver
    8:25 AM 26/04/2018

    ever heard of the word hubris? I'll let you look it up.

  • oliver
    8:24 AM 26/04/2018

    honestly I find it disheartening that Racing produced such a complete performance, with powerful forward play and a backline that made the Munster defense seem invisible, but people here choose to focus on this small incident that had no bearing at all on the result.....

  • jimmy23
    12:15 PM 25/04/2018

    It could be prevented if refs just straight up carded them once seeing it.

  • andinov
    3:27 AM 25/04/2018

    Totally agree with you. I think unfortunately as professionalism expands into the game so will 'professional fouls' as it did in football.

    A lot of people forget that there was a time when football was every bit as dangerous (if not more) as rugby what with it's broken legs and frequent career ending injuries.

    As the game stepped into the professional era, a lot of this stopped but diving also arrived.

    History is repeating itself 20 years on in rugby and we're going to see more and more of this kind of behaviour. When the margins become this thin and the steaks become that high, players will be forced to find the smallest advantages where ever they can find them.

  • finedisregard
    7:50 PM 24/04/2018

    OR bin nobody and get on with it. Not everything needs to be a legal proceeding.

    Vakatawa's teammates should make him wear a dress at the next tape session. Disgraceful!

  • drg
    2:13 PM 24/04/2018

    How wrong I was...

    Conor Murray -
    1.88m
    94kg

    Vakatawa
    1.86m
    92kg

    Someone just give Vakatawa a tutu and a 9 shirt..

  • drg
    2:08 PM 24/04/2018

    Forget cards, someone give Connor Murray a UFC contract, he basically destroyed a winger and a huge outside centre with only one move each.. the guy is a beast for a small wiry 9!

  • colombes
    1:51 PM 24/04/2018

    Pretty impressed by the first 60 minutes of Racing, full of power and confidence.
    Teddy Thomas is really a joy to watch when he's more focused on his rugby, than few beers.

    But cant really see them compete 80mn vs Leinster.
    Rdv in Bilbao

  • moo
    12:35 PM 24/04/2018

    Bin both and tell the rest to get on with the game?

  • oliver
    12:07 PM 24/04/2018

    that was very impressive from Racing! 24-3 after 20 minutes of play I think. It actually looked like they did not try too hard in the seccond half, as the difference was too great. Munster looked very out of sorts....I actually wondered if the heat had gotten to them, as they may not be used that in Ireland?

    Also to be noted: 12 French players in the starting 15, if I remember right. Let's hope the final is good, and maybe a bit closer, whoever wins!

  • oliver
    11:56 AM 24/04/2018

    Vakatawa deserved a card?
    how about a card for Murray for lifting a player past the horizontal then?

  • danknapp
    11:07 AM 24/04/2018

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNLwbtPMUt8

  • danknapp
    11:06 AM 24/04/2018

    It's a shame the highlights package didn't include Vakatawa milking a push to the face. It was a dive and he deserved a card for it, but despite all the talk of not tolerating diving/simulation this game is slowly going the way of football.

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