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Finn Russell's stint at Racing 92 ends in defeat
By Ian Cameron
Finn Russell's time at Racing 92 came to a disappointing end as his team suffered a resounding 41-14 defeat to Toulouse in the Top 14 play-off semi-final in San Sebastian.
Russell, who will be joining Bath next season as one of the best players in the sport, had hoped to finish his career in France with a trophy, but those dreams are now over.
The Scotland fly-half, along with his teammates, struggled to find any rhythm throughout the match against Toulouse.
The first half saw Toulouse surge ahead with a 20-0 lead, courtesy of Thomas Ramos' accurate kicking and tries from Matthis Lebel and Emmanuel Meafou. Russell had limited opportunities to showcase his skills, a misjudged kick straight into touch summing up a pretty dire first 40.
The second half continued in a similar fashion, with Toulouse extending their lead to 34-0 through tries from Alexandre Roumat and Arthur Retiere. It wasn't until the 70th minute that Racing 92 managed to get on the scoreboard, with quickfire tries from Gael Fickou and Ibrhim Diallo, both converted by Russell. However, Toulouse had the final say as Francois Cros crossed the line on the final buzzer to complete the comprehensive victory.
For Russell, it was undoubtedly a disappointing end to his time at Racing 92. Despite an overall successful tenure with the Parisians, the former Glasgow Warriors stand-off will leave
France frustrated.
As for Toulouse, their convincing win sets up a thrilling final at the Stade de France on June 17 against either La Rochelle or Bordeaux Bègles, who will battle it out in the second semi-final.
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Latest Comments
Hopefully Joe stays where he is. That would mean Les, McKellar, larkham and Cron should as well. It’s the stability we need in the state programs. But, if Joe goes, RA with its current financial situation will be forced into promoting from within. And this will likely destabilise other areas.
To better understand some of the entrenched bitterness of those outside of NZ and NSW (as an example 😂), Nic, there is probably a comparison to the old hard heads of welsh rugby who are still stuck in the 1970s. Before the days where clubs merged, professionalism started, and the many sharp knives were put into the backs of those who loved the game more than everyone else. I’m sure you know a few... But given your comparison of rugby in both wales and Australia, there are a few north of the tweed that will never trust a kiwi or NSWelshman because of historical events and issues over the history of the game. It is what it is. For some, time does not heal all wounds. And it is still festering away in some people. Happy holidays to you. All the best in 2025.
Go to commentsNot surprised to see Barretts rating. He has always been a solid defender for the ABs but not particularly effective in attack situations.
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