Racing 92's SA-born fullback explains record Top 14 winless run

TOP 14 SATURDAY WRAP: Racing 92 lost 25-30 at home to Vannes on Saturday to extend their record French Top 14 winless run to seven matches.

Former England captain Owen Farrell was absent due to injury for the Parisians who are now just three points above the bottom of the table Bretons.

Vannes crossed for three tries in Patrice Collazo’s first game in charge of six-time champions Racing after replacing the sacked Stuart Lancaster, the former England head coach.

“I don’t think we lost because of the coaching change,” Racing’s South African fullback Tristan Tedder told Canal+.

“It’s once again our poor discipline. There are nine games to go, we won’t give up.”

Racing’s capital city neighbours Stade Francais moved above their local rivals to 12th place with a 39-37 win over Pau.

However, the result was clouded for Stade by a serious-looking ankle injury suffered by New Zealand scrumhalf Brad Weber.

Leaders Bordeaux-Begles suffered a second straight defeat, losing 32-36 at Bayonne while Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle were hammered 17-53 at Lyon.

“It’s tough,” head coach O’Gara told reporters.

“We’re trying to get out of this malaise, which is everywhere right now among the players and coaching staff,” the former Ireland flyhalf added after a fourth straight defeat.

In the final game of the day, Toulon won 38-30 at Montpellier to go second in the table, trailing Bordeaux-Begles on their head-to-head record.

Third-placed champions Toulouse will be without nine players, including Antoine Dupont, as they have been rested by France during a break week in the Six Nations, when they travel to Clermont on Sunday.