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Racing 92 travel to Welford Road on Sunday to take on Leicester Tigers in a crunch clash with quarter-final places up for grabs in European Rugby Champions Cup Pool 4
Racing 92 travel to Welford Road on Sunday to take on Leicester Tigers in a crunch clash with quarter-final places up for grabs in European Rugby Champions Cup Pool 4, with the action shown live on Sky Sports.
- With just one point separating Racing 92 from Pool 4 leaders Munster Rugby ahead of the sixth and final round there is everything to play for and the French Top 14 giants will be seeking a bonus-point win, while hoping their compatriots Castres Olympique can frustrate the Irish province in Limerick.
- Leicester Tigers, meanwhile, have no hopes of progressing in Europe with just one win from their five outings, leaving them propping up Pool 4, while victory for Racing 92 would almost certainly secure them a place in the final eight either as pool winners or a best placed runner-up depending on results elsewhere.
- Despite enduring a torrid time in the competition, Leicester Tigers did push Racing 92 to the brink in France back in Round 1, but the Top 14 side won the tussle in the end, claiming a 22-18 victory, with lock Leone Nakarawa among the try scorers.
- Nakarawa is a force to be reckoned with for Racing 92, topping the number of offloads in the Champions Cup with 16, five more than any other player, while Leicester Tigers will hope they can build phases effectively to break down the French side, after all, they are the best passing team in Pool 4, having completed a total of 778 so far.
Racing 92 secured a European Rugby Champions Cup quarter-final berth with a thrilling away victory over Leicester Tigers at a snowy Welford Road. - 21/01/2018 15:24
Racing 92 secured a European Rugby Champions Cup quarter-final berth with a thrilling away victory over Leicester Tigers at a snowy Welford Road.
The away side raced into a 14-point lead after 12 minutes through tries from French internationals Henry Chavancy and Maxime Machenaud, but were pegged back throughout the first half as George Ford kicked three penalties for Leicester.
Leicester’s Brendon O’Connor dived over to put the home side in front just after the interval, before Machenaud’s penalty on 55 minutes gave Racing the advantage again.
? VICTOIRE DU RACING 92 ! Les Ciel et Blanc se qualifient face aux @LeicesterTigers pour la suite de l'aventure en @ChampionsCup ! #LEIR92 pic.twitter.com/URN1ngglkG
— Racing 92 (@racing92) January 21, 2018
Ford and Machenaud then exchanged penalties in the final quarter of the match, before Leicester ultimately fell short despite sustained pressure in the final five minutes.
The win for Racing 92 has meant they qualify for the Champions Cup quarter-finals, where they will travel to ASM Clermont Auvergne.
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