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TOP 14

Castres hold off Racing to book Top 14 final berth

Benjamin Urdapilleta of Castres

Castres were rewarded for a fine backs-against-the-wall showing amid late pressure to upset Racing 92 19-14 and book a Top 14 final against Montpellier.

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A star-studded Racing side who finished second in the regular season and lost the European Champions Cup final to Leinster were clear favourites in the semi-final contest at Groupama Stadium.

But Castres, champions in 2013, benefitted from Racing’s ill-discipline before holding out with 14 men for most of the closing stages following Julien Dumora’s sin-binning.

Racing had a try ruled out in each half but, despite outscoring the underdogs two tries to one, were unable to find the killer blow.

Castres struck first when Maama Vaipulu crashed over from a maul. Benjamin Urdapilleta kicked the extras and then added a three-pointer to stretch the early lead to 10.

Louis Dupichot saw a try chalked off for a Racing infringement in the build-up, but the Paris side did respond when Juan Imhoff showed electric pace from Remi Tales’ offload to dot down.

Dupichot then broke the lines to score Racing’s second, only for ill-discipline to creep into their game, allowing Urdapilleta to kick two penalties either side of a yellow card for Ben Tameifuna, moving Castres back in front.

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Racing could have been punished more for that sin-binning, but Urdapilleta and Rory Kockott each missed from the tee.

Racing scrum-half Teddy Iribaren thought he had punished those missed kicks when he broke following a line-out to score under the posts, only for the play to be called back for a forward pass.

Urdapilleta then gave Castres some breathing space by once again splitting the posts, although Dumora’s yellow for a high tackle on Imhoff with 14 minutes remaining saw their numbers depleted with the lead at just five.

Racing peppered the line and had a series of close-range scrums in a dramatic finish, but Castres held firm for a fine win.

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Comments on RugbyPass

S
SadersMan 14 minutes ago
All Blacks survive physical Italy scare after captain carded

Yes, at some point they'll need to develop depth & consistency.

4 Go to comments
S
SadersMan 15 minutes ago
‘Right a few wrongs’: Ex-Wales flyer’s message of intent with Crusaders

Sorry mate, this is mumbo jumbo. What are you on about?

10 Go to comments
U
Utiku Old Boy 35 minutes ago
'They smelt it': Scott Robertson says Italy sensed All Blacks' vulnerability

Yeah right.

9 Go to comments
J
JW 41 minutes ago
All Blacks player ratings vs Italy | Autumn Nations Series

5min - I'm getting sick of the on field ref being overruled. He clearly sees the drop and rules no knock on but changes his call when the touchie pipes up from miles away. get out of here!

10 Go to comments
U
Utiku Old Boy 45 minutes ago
'They smelt it': Scott Robertson says Italy sensed All Blacks' vulnerability

If Razor picked jaded players, where is the role of a squad? Where is the anticipated innovation from this group? The season has been a big disappointment considering the talent available (but left sitting on the sideline). Was ready for a fresh approach after the frustration of the Foster era but we only got more of the same and a timid coaching group.

9 Go to comments
J
JW 51 minutes ago
All Blacks player ratings vs Italy | Autumn Nations Series

Watching the game now I get a sense of things to come. Ref puts his flag up when Patricks legs go over the line ages after he has released the ball. That is not out in touch.


Then Tele'a has a brain fade and tries to jump into touch, slapping the ball back, when he should know and be trained in running from outside touch and jumping into the field of play with it. If he had of done that simple fix of altering his approach angle there's noway anyone is getting to him to stop the try.

10 Go to comments
U
Utiku Old Boy 52 minutes ago
All Blacks survive physical Italy scare after captain carded

Underwhelming AB performance. Much like their season. Watching the Boks and Ireland put in AB-like performances only show how far this AB team has to go. Selections and game plan still based on "not losing" - not innovation.

4 Go to comments
J
JW 1 hour ago
'They smelt it': Scott Robertson says Italy sensed All Blacks' vulnerability

They did. In 2020.


Would have been WC victory with Razor in charge last year! Schmidt would have been pulled in to help Rennie and these performances would have built up last year for Aussie (instead of his incfluence helping NZ) and they would have been riding a high of returning players and league signings building to the B&I Lions and a RWC at home. And then Smchidt would have been ready to take the mantel of the All Blacks this year!


Oh how it could have been so so different if Robinson had of realised the folly in the handme down appointments policy they had back then.

9 Go to comments
J
JW 1 hour ago
'They smelt it': Scott Robertson says Italy sensed All Blacks' vulnerability

IDK if you can say that, and as I contended before the game, I don't know if you can really call it the strongest side (selecting fatigued players) either. Which would certainly be one of many of Razor's failings this year if was the case (yet to watch). Wasn't that also the top side's last hit out before Ireland?

9 Go to comments
J
JW 1 hour ago
‘Right a few wrongs’: Ex-Wales flyer’s message of intent with Crusaders

Definitely as Christchurch based decline if you believe some.

10 Go to comments
J
JW 1 hour ago
‘Right a few wrongs’: Ex-Wales flyer’s message of intent with Crusaders

23% is a fair reflection of the that was turning out last year imo.


It's not the same comp with non NZ easy beat teams to inflate yuor record anymore.


You might be disheartened for me to predict a semi final performance and Penney that is wanted back. Can you deal with that? 😝

10 Go to comments
J
JW 1 hour ago
‘Right a few wrongs’: Ex-Wales flyer’s message of intent with Crusaders

Pretty much now the only old fart retained from last year isn't he? Still has some solid legs under him but probably lucky he signed before Hutchinson got a chance to impress in the NPC (which I was surprised he did after I thought he stalled a lot of the U20's flair in the JRWC this year).

10 Go to comments
_
_Ty 1 hour ago
All Blacks player ratings vs Italy | Autumn Nations Series

No way Beauden gets a 9.5. He gave up possession too easily by kicking the ball away. Either too long or just aimless. One of those kicks lead directly to the Italians only try. He also missed the last tackle too, so he couldn't even clean up his mistake.

10 Go to comments
H
Head high tackle 1 hour ago
'They smelt it': Scott Robertson says Italy sensed All Blacks' vulnerability

I thought they were very inept Sadersman. That was a horrible performance and just adds to the year where just when we think they are improving they do this. Look at the way Schmidt has turned Aus around. Perhaps NZR made the wrong choice.

9 Go to comments
J
John 1 hour ago
The Wallabies have a serious problem

Yeah, defs a decent player, I can't personally say because I haven't been watching him, but I would hazard a guess he isn't more dominant than a AAA or perhaps a HJH?

13 Go to comments
H
Head high tackle 1 hour ago
'They smelt it': Scott Robertson says Italy sensed All Blacks' vulnerability

I think all you need to do is look at Aus to see where the big issue is for the ABs. Aus can turn a world cup pool failure to beating England in the same time Razor has taken the ABs from a 1 point loss in the WC last year to an absolute rabble this year. ABs won 91-17 v Italy last year with our so called B side. This was Razors strongest side yet were terrible. They look like they met yesterday.

9 Go to comments
J
JW 1 hour ago
All Blacks survive physical Italy scare after captain carded

Yeah they're away of it too. It was brought up in one of the Italian focused articles. They are performing now and trying to move out of that 'being in awe' type attitude.


Very easy to say we're good enough to put all our focus on wining this last big game of the year (this one) though, you also need to be consistent and still perform in the other games (slip up against Georgia) and not get ahead of yourself. Not think you're too good for teams like Argentina and Georgia just because theres a shift in attitude towards thinking 'were good enough to beat anybody now'. Hope they go forward from here but I think this performance is still only good enough to keep them off wooden spoon 6N position (keep them well away from the bottom mind you).

4 Go to comments
J
JW 1 hour ago
'They smelt it': Scott Robertson says Italy sensed All Blacks' vulnerability

Yeah I predicted (out of thin air) it to be more like 30 points between them. You don't think it wasn't more like that because they picked jaded players?


Will have a look at the game now I guess.

9 Go to comments
J
JW 1 hour ago
Lamb to the slaughter? Italy aim to 'get stuck into' All Blacks

Don't mind me lol I just thought it was funny that you saw the opportunity to show some good parochialism at the end of this article. I thought we were going to have an interesting Italian perspective on the game to read (which we could counter attack with our perspective etc), instead it was about an Englishmans perspective on the game/rugby (which I wasn't interested in replying to at all).


Oh, and I also should be always in that last sentence. Can't say I've even seen a 6N without a bunny team but it certainly wasn't Italy this year!

6 Go to comments
T
Tk 1 hour ago
'They smelt it': Scott Robertson says Italy sensed All Blacks' vulnerability

A messy season. New coaches, systems, philosophies it was always a start if something new. But I'm disappointed at how players who continue to not come up with the goods are retained and most if not all debuts were down to injuries rather than inspired selection. This season was the honeymoon, more has to be delivered next year.

9 Go to comments
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