Racing 92 halted Stade Francais’ fine start to the Top 14 season following a narrow 17-16 triumph in the Paris derby at the Stade Jean-Bouin.
The match was close throughout but the hosts did manage to open up a 10-3 lead via Kylan Hamdaoui’s try and Morne Steyn’s penalty.
However, Racing edged back into the contest and were in front by the break via Virimi Vakatawa’s effort and a pair of Finn Russell three-pointers.
Steyn and Russell then traded penalties in the second period and that was enough for Racing to claim the win and move to within one point of their rivals.
In a typically physical affair, the visitors began on the front foot and went ahead via the boot of Russell before Stade got themselves into the contest.
As has often been the case for Heyneke Meyer’s men this season, their midfield partnership of Jonathan Danty and Gael Fickou caused Racing problems. They duly earned a penalty, which Steyn converted, to level matters.
The hosts were now on the front foot and they touched down first as Hamdaoui spotted a gap, scampered through the hole and crossed the whitewash for a 10-3 lead.
Although the home side continued to challenge the gain line, the 2016 champions remained in the contest and, after Russell had reduced the arrears, the fly-half produced a moment of excellence to regain their advantage.
Having seen that the Stade defence was disorganised, the pivot took a neat outside line, found Henry Chavancy and the centre duly fed Vakatawa to finish.
The second 40 minutes remained tense as, although Russell moved the away team 14-10 clear, successive Steyn penalties put Stade back in front heading into the final quarter.
Meyer’s charges failed to build on those scores, however, and Racing’s fly-half snatched the victory from the tee after Djibril Camara was sin-binned.
The scorers:
For Stade:
Try: Hamdaoui
Con: Steyn
Pens: Steyn 3
Yellow Card: Camara
For Racing:
Try: Vakatawa
Con: Russell
Pens: Russell 4
Stade: 15 Kylan Hamdaoui, 14 Djibril Camara, 13 Gael Fickou, 12 Jonathan Danty, 11 Julien Arias, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Piet van Zyl, 8 Willem Alberts, 7 Sekou Macalou, 6 Tala Gray, 5 Yoann Maestri, 4 Paul Gabrillagues, 3 Paul Alo-Emile, 2 Laurent Panis, 1 Heinke van der Merwe
Replacements: 16 Laurent Sempere, 17 Siegfried Fisi’ihoi, 18 Alexandre Flanquart, 19 Ryan Chapuis, 20 Clement Daguin, 21 Julien Delbouis, 22 Jules Plisson, 23 Giorgi Melikidze
Racing: 15 Louis Dupichot, 14 Joe Rokocoko, 13 Virimi Vakatawa, 12 Henry Chavancy, 11 Juan Imhoff, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Xavier Chauveau, 8 Antonie Claassen, 7 Baptiste Chouzenoux, 6 Boris Palu, 5 Leone Nakarawa, 4 Donnacha Ryan, 3 Cedate Gomes Sa, 2 Teddy Baubigny, 1 Guram Gogichashvili
Replacements: 16 Camille Chat, 17 Vasil Kakovin, 18 Dominic Bird, 19 Edwin Maka, 20 Teddy Iribaren, 21 Ben Volavola, 22 Jordan Joseph, 23 Ben Tameifuna
Referee: Alexandre Ruiz
Assistant referees: Pierre Brousset, Patrick Pechambert
TMO: Eric Briquet-Campin