Racing will target friend turned foe Sexton
RACING 92 believe that getting after Johnny Sexton is their best chance of upsetting the odds in tomorrow’s Champions Cup final. Leinster go into the Bilbao decider as heavy favourites having won all their European games this season but, while Racing accept their underdogs tag, they feel targeting the Leinster out-half (who spent two years with the Paris club between 2013 and 2015) could reap dividends. ‘He is a player we know well,’ Racing’s French international centre Henry Chavancy told
L’Equipe [who described Sexton’s time at Racing as ‘anonymous’], ‘we know he has the ability to win games for any team he plays for. ‘We suffered the consequences of that in the Six Nations [when Sexton dropped the winning drop goal for Ireland in Stade de France] and we know he can do it again for Leinster this weekend. ‘We will try everything to make life difficult for him on Saturday and hope we can stop him winning the game for his team this time.’ The French tactic of targeting Sexton is a familiar one and something Leinster and the out-half will have prepared for, with veteran back row Yannick Nyanga
acknowledging that Racing face a mammoth task to upset Europe’s form team. ‘We know they are favourites but that motivates us even more,’ said Nyanga, who stressed the need for his side to make the most of whatever opportunities come their way. ‘We are organised and have players who know how to make a difference. We have the weapons to annoy Leinster but we will have to do more than just bother them.’ Both clubs announce their teams at lunchtime today with Jordan Larmour poised to start on the wing in place of the injured Fergus McFadden. The rule stipulating that teams can only select two ANZAC players means winger James Lowe is expected to miss out with fellow Kiwi Jamison GibsonPark needed as scrum-half cover for Luke McGrath and Aussie Scott Fardy set to continue in the back row. Racing face a big call on whether to go with Dan Carter from the start to utilise his place-kicking abilities or stick with Patrick Lambie, who is also in the mix for full-back.