Nothing to do. Same mistakes, same punishment. Stade Français, beaten by Saracens (17-28) this Sunday on its Jean-Bouin lawn, its second setback in two Champions Cup matches, once again sinned by indiscipline, rowing against the current for an hour of play after the expulsion of Sekou Macalou for a stupid gesture.
For once, everything was going well. A clean and intense introduction. For a quarter of an hour, Stade Français showed a face that we have rarely seen this season. The Saracens seemed bland, passive, even apathetic in the face of the angry Parisians. Not far from planting their first try in the 2nd minute, Laurent Labit’s players finally waited until the 4th minute to send their winger Peniasi Dakuwaqa behind the line on a beautiful jump pass from opener Zack Henry (7-0, 4th) . All this behind a dominant pack both in the conquest phases and in the movement game.
The film of a scenario therefore took place without any particular hitch, we even wondered if in the face of these reluctant Englishmen a correction was not possible. Until the old Parisian demons awaken. A week ago, in Munster, the Pink Soldiers scuttled themselves by receiving two stupid red cards for dangerous tackles from second row Pierre-Henri Azagoh (49th) then Baptiste Pesenti (53rd) in less than five minutes.
An essay by Barré for too brief a hope
This time, it was the third row Sekou Macalou who was responsible for breaking things down on his own. In a scrum in the 21st minute, the French international was first guilty of tripping over scrum-half Ivan Van Zyl who had just recovered the ball behind his pack, before throwing himself at him and colliding violently with him while he was on the ground, his shoulder hitting the Saracens player’s jaw.
The sanction did not take long. An indisputable red card. And the match changed its appearance. Almost immediately, winger Williams found himself at the end of a long sequence where the English managed to open gaps (10-7, 24th). The Parisians, often at fault, also conceded two penalties from opener Burke before the break (10-13, 40th).
And now a decisive match against Perpignan in Top 14
Upon returning from the locker room, it was once again their notorious indiscipline which cost the capital’s players dearly. The second line Tanginoa Halaifonua, guilty of a dangerous tackle (44th), left his partners 13 against 15 for seven minutes since the left pillar Rhys Carre, author of an elbow forward charge, also received a card yellow (51st). A sufficient period of time, however, for Saracens to score a strong try by hooker and captain of the XV de la Rose Jamie George (46th, 10-18).
The Parisians only raised their heads in the last quarter of an hour. Pounding the English line, they ended up finding the fault with an acceleration from Léo Barré (69th, 17-21). A hope. A little suspense. Not long. The try from hooker Théo Dan (74th) closed an unbalanced numerically inferior debate.
Stade Français is slowly sinking into mediocrity with only one victory, during the Paris region derby against Racing 92 (40-24), in the last five matches in all competitions. The reception of Perpignan next weekend, in a decisive match against a direct competitor for remaining in the Top 14, will be essential.