Stade Toulousain race past Racing
MATCH REPORT: Stade Toulousain eased past French rivals Racing 92, as they triumphed 31-7 in the Champions Cup Round of 16.
The No.1-ranked team in this year’s knockout stage were rarely troubled by their Parisian visitors, the hosts running in five tries.
A tight, physical first period was bookmarked by the first two scores, which came courtesy of hooker Peato Mauvaka and wing Matthis Lebel.
Fullback Blair Kinghorn missed both conversions and, despite all their dominance, Racing 92 remained only ten points down at the break.
The visitors had shown flashes of intent throughout the first 40, but they lacked finesse and consistently made unforced errors.
At one point it had looked like they had levelled the game via fullback Max Spring, but the TMO intervened to point out that his grounding was no good.
The second half started tense, Kinghorn spurning the first chance of the half by sending a penalty sailing wide.
But Racing 92 continued to waste their opportunities too, and eventually, Stade Toulousain struck two killer blows.
Replacement Paul Costes went over for their third try, Kinghorn finally finding his mark, and he kicked the extras for the hosts’ fourth try too, this time centre Pita Ahki going over.
Replacement Eddy Ben Arous provided a consolation try for Racing 92, fly-half Tristan Tedder converting, but the final score would go to the quarterfinal-bound hosts via No.8 Alexandre Roumat.
Stade Toulousain will now host Exeter Chiefs at home next weekend, as they continue their search for what would be a record-extending sixth crown in EPCR’s elite competition.
The scorers
For Stade Toulousain
Tries: Mauvaka, Lebel, Costes, Ahki Roumat
Cons: Kinghorn 3
For Racing 92
Try: Ben Arous
Con: Tedder
Teams
Toulouse: 15 Blair Kinghorn, 14 Juan Cruz Mallia, 13 Pierre-Louis Barassi, 12 Pita Ahki, 11 Matthis Lebel, 10 Romain Ntamack, 9 Antoine Dupont (captain), 8 Alexandre Roumat, 7 François Cros, 6 Jack Willis, 5 Emmanuel Meafou, 4 Richie Arnold, 3 Dorian Aldegheri, 2 Peato Mauvaka, 1 Cyril Baille.
Replacements: 16 Julien Marchand, 17 Rodrigue Neti, 18 Joel Merkler, 19 Thibaud Flament, 20 Joshua Brennan, 21 Mathis Castro-Ferreira, 22 Paul Graou, 23 Paul Costes.
Racing: 15 Max Spring, 14 Henry Arundell, 13 Gael Fickou, 12 Henry Chavancy (captain), 11 Wame Naituvi, 10 Tristan Tedder, 9 Clovis le Bail, 8 Jordan Joseph, 7 Siya Kolisi, 6 Cameron Woki, 5 Will Rowlands, 4 Baptiste Chouzenoux, 3 Cedate Gomes Sa, 2 Peniami Narisia 1 Hassane Kolingar.
Replacements: 16 Eddy Ben Arous, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Thomas Laclayat, 19 Fabien Sanconnie, 20 Ibrahim Diallo, 21 Martin Meliande, 22 Francis Saili, 23 Christian Wade.
Referee: Karl Dickson (England)
Assistant referees: Andrew Jackson (England), Jack Makepeace (England)
TMO: Stuart Terheege (England)
* Source: @ChampionsCup
