Racing will fancy their chances of conquering the Kingspan
THEY are so close now. One more win and Pool Four is theirs so Racing 92 are heading to the Kingspan in pretty good shape.
Nineteen points from a possible 20 is further proof of their impressive European form while the big-spending Parisian club have also managed to accumulate 16 tries along the way, with only Leinster bettering that current total having gathered up three more in Pool One.
And their other stats are impressive too. They have made the most metres per game with 566 having already been racked up, and have also registered the most clean breaks of any side in the competition with that figure coming in at a rather puzzling 13.8.
While their domestic form does need some improvement — they sit sixth in the Top 14, 12 points behind leaders Clermont — the quest to succeed in Europe is more than just an itch as the club have lost finals in both 2016, when Saracens were victorious, and then last year to the all-conquering Leinster.
So, all seems set fair then for the visitors as the club bankrolled by Jacky Lorenzetti move through the gears towards booking a home quarter-final.
But Belfast in January? French sides in the past haven’t always taken to the place and memories of Ulster famously downing Racing’s fellow Parisians Stade Francais, which occurred 20 years ago this week on a crisp Saturday afternoon, will have fuelled the belief that another glamorous outfit could be scalped.
The cliché doesn’t quite fit so snugly any more though. Even though Racing play their home games under the roof at the stunning Paris La Defense Arena, they can also play a bit outside too and even win in foul weather as was seen at the Scarlets in round one.
Racing are certainly bringing their big guns even though this appears to be a game too early for Donnacha Ryan’s comeback.
The pack is pretty decent with skipper Dimitri Szarzewski at hooker in the usual fearsome-looking front row and lock Leone Nakarawa’s athleticism will cause all manner of trouble if the Fijian off-loads in the expected manner.
Behind the scrum, Simon Zebo gets an outing on the wing and goes head-to-head with Jacob Stockdale and while this certainly looks to be a massive clash, as is how Robert Baloucoune handles Juan Imhoff, the pivotal area regarding the game’s outcome will be played out at half-back.
Though number eight Antonie Claassen is one-third of a strong back-row it is the physicality of scrum-half Maxime Machenaud and play-making of out-half Finn Russell which will bring Racing what they want.
This side have no Kingspan fear factor.