Racing hold off Clermont, La Rochelle reach play-offs

PARIS: Champions Racing 92 put their off-field woes behind them to keep alive their play-off hopes with a crucial and nervy 27-24 victory over Clermont on Saturday.

Leaders La Rochelle, meanwhile, became the first team to book their play-off spot with a 23-13 victory at Pau.

Racing’s match against Montpellier last weekend was postponed over the fall-out created by a controversial planned merger -- now abandoned -- with Parisian rivals Stade Francais.

Coming on the back of other off-field issues including a drinkdriving episode involving New Zealand legend Dan Carter and the sacking of another All Black in Ali Williams after being arrested for the alleged possession of cocaine, the champions needed something to cheer on the field.

And they put in a stirring performance for 70 minutes before hanging on by their finger-tips late on despite Clermont’s Benson Stanley having been sent off.

“This season nothing can be simple and we saw that this afternoon,” said Racing coach Laurent Labit.

“We were in bad shape before the match with everything that’s happened.

“We were down but the problem is not falling, the important thing is to get back up.”

Victory moved Racing to just three points off the top six, and with a game in hand on sixthplaced Pau.

Racing were out of the blocks at break-neck speed with Fijian lock Leone Nakarawa crossing for a first minute try.

Carter converted and then added two penalties, the second after Stanley was sin-binned for killing the ball.

Carter converted another try from compatriot Chris Masoe as a one-sided first half ended with the hosts 20-0 ahead.

Clermont came out strongly after the break as Paul Jedrasiak bundled over from close range with New Zealander fly-half Stephen Brett converting. - AFP