Reigning champs out as Finn’s Racing march on
Saracens suffered late Heineken Champions Cup heartbreak as Racing 92 claimed a dramatic 19-15 semi-final win in Paris.
Alex Goode had kicked five penalties as Saracens overturned a 9-6 interval deficit and boost hopes of a fourth Heineken Champions Cup title in five years.
But the champions were undone in the 76th minute when leading 15-12, Virimi Vakatawa charged clear and wing Juan Imhoff accepted Scotland’s Finn Russell’s pass to score the game’s only try which Maxime Machenaud converted.
Iribaren broke the deadlock with an 11th-minute penalty before Saracens centre Duncan Taylor was forced off with a shoulder injury and replaced by Dominic Morris. The Vunipolas, Mako and Billy, combined neatly in Saracens’ best passage of play and Racing were punished by referee Nigel Owens for not using ruck possession quickly enough.
Goode levelled the scores from in front of the posts. A second Goode penalty gave the visitors the lead on the half-hour mark, but Iribaren immediately replied to tie the scores at 6-6. Teddy Thomas’ break down the left set up one final firsthalf chance.
Racing won a line-out penalty and Iribaren’s kick was classed as good, even though there was some confusion whether it had actually flown inside the post.
Parity was soon restored at the start of the second half as Antonie Claasen knocked on deliberately and Goode stroked over his third penalty. Goode quickly added a fourth goal for a 12-9 lead as an effective kick-and-chase game began to turn the screw on Racing.
Morris forced another turnover with a crunching hit on Zebo and Goode’s fifth penalty provided some breathing space as the lead stretched to six points for the first time.
Saracens mainstay Brad Barritt was forced off inside the final quarter and his departure galvanised Racing, with Machenaud cutting the gap to three points. Vakatawa was at the forefront of a thrilling home attack and, although Racing were denied on that occasion, the centre ran clear again and Saracens’ grip on the Cup was loosened. Meanwhile, Russell will face up to Scotland pal Stuart Hogg as his Exeter side reached their first Heineken Champions Cup Final after flooring Toulouse 28-18 at Sandy Park.
The Chiefs’ forwards drove them into a final showdown against Racing 92 at Ashton Gate next month, as prop Harry Williams scored two tries, No. 8 Sam Simmonds also touched down and skipper Joe Simmonds iced the celebration cake through a stunning individual score. Fly-half Joe Simmonds converted all four scores, and just 10 years after Exeter were promoted to the Premiership they’re one win away from being kings of Europe.
The Chiefs remain firmly on course for a domestic and European double, a feat that has only been managed by three English clubs – Leicester, Wasps and Saracens.
In the Challenge Cup, Toulon brushed aside Leicester Tigers 34-19 to set up a final outing against