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BSP-05
RUGBYU-FRA-TOP14
Lyon seek to stretch perfect start against Racing
PARIS, Sept 27, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Top 14 leaders Lyon return from last
weekend’s collective break refreshed and ready to extend their perfect start
to the season with at Racing 92 on Saturday.
Lyon, who hammered Brive 59-3 in the last round, are level with Bordeaux-
Begles on 18 points at the head of the table. What makes their start so
impressive is that, in their opening four matches, Pierre Mignoni’s team have
yet to ship a single try.
That is 320 minutes of rugby without anyone crossing the Lyon line — a new
Top 14 record.
“We do it through concentration and consistency,” hooker Jeremie Maurouard
told rugby newspaper Midi-Olympique.
“We have coaches who put us under pressure and remind us that without
putting anything in, we get nothing out.
“And we have a squad that enjoys being together, which has a good bonding.
And that comes through on the field, especially with our defence. Each player
has confidence in the teammate at his side.”
Maurouard knows that the trek to a Top 14 final in June is only in its
early stages and that other teams are struggling to deal with a raft of World
Cup absentees.
“We’ve had four good games but we haven’t won a title or a shield. We have
to keep working,” he said.
Lyon, without centre Pierre-Louis Barassi who has been called up as cover
for the injured Wesley Fofana in the France squad, travel to Paris to play
indoors against a Racing side that promised much but has, so far, delivered
little.
Defeat at home in the opening round against newly-promoted Bayonne shook
Racing. That was followed by victory over Castres and two narrow defeats on
the road, 20-17 at Toulouse and 32-29 at Toulon.
– Goosen back for Montpellier –
Joint-leaders Bordeaux have been only marginally less impressive than Lyon
having beaten Toulouse, Toulon, Castres and Stade Francais, albeit three of
those were at home.
They travel to Montpellier, who have won their two home matches
convincingly and stand fourth in the table, eight points behind the leaders.
The home side are likely to be able to recall South African utility back
Johan Goosen who has been out with a stress fracture of the foot since
February.
Clermont are also in Paris at the weekend when they take on Stade Francais
on Sunday.
Franck Azema’s Clermont, strengthened by the recent return of scrum-half
Morgan Parra, is in the unfamiliar position of coming off two consecutive
defeats, beaten 28-21 at Brive and then 37-28 at home to Pau.
“Is it a lack of concentration or arrogance or fatigue?” asked Azema after
the Pau defeat.
“I don’t know. It is up to us to find a solution together.”
Stade Francais are in an even greater spin, having won just one of their
opening three games and needing to regroup after a hapless, humiliating 52-3
thrashing at Bordeaux last time out.
French Top 14 fixtures (all time GMT)
Saturday
Brive v Toulon (1330), Castres v Agen, Bayonne v La Rochelle, Toulouse v
Pau (all 1600), Racing 92 v Lyon (1845)
Sunday
Montpellier v Bordeaux-Begles(1030), Stade Francais v Clermont(1450)
BSS/AFP/GMR/0945 hrs