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Sexton scored all 21 of Racing's points in their quarter-final win over Toulouse. Dan Sheridan/INPHO
demi finale

The might of Toulon stands in the way of Sexton's shot at a Top 14 title

Racing Métro face the Heineken Cup champions in this evening’s semi-final in Lille.

IN A SITUATION that was quite inconceivable earlier this season, Racing Métro are one game away from competing in their first ever Top 14 final.

Toulon represent a rather formidable roadblock to that progress this evening in Lille’s Stade Pierre Mauroy, but not one that is unbreakable. As against Toulouse last weekend, Jonny Sexton will be the key man in Racing’s efforts.

The Ireland out-half was 100% off the tee in the barrages phase, kicking all 21 points and managing the Parisians’ game plan with utter composure. As ever, his defensive contributions were aggressive and technically strong.

Top 14 play-offs rarely bare witness to thrilling attacking rugby, and Racing certainly added to that impression with their tactics against Toulouse. Garryowens were lofted, the forwards conserved their energy for scrums, and there were few risks taken.

The blueprint is unlikely to differ greatly for this evening’s clash against the powerful Toulon, although Sexton’s range of passing and running threat would be especially useful against Bernard Laporte’s side.

Away from the pitch, this semi-final provides an intriguing clash of the Top 14′s new money, as Toulon’s Mourad Boudjellal and Racing’s Jacky Lorenzetti take up a rivalry that is certain to grow in the coming years.

The battle of words certainly hasn’t disappointed this week, with real estate magnate Lorenzetti launching a stinging attack on his Toulon counterpart.

Rugby Union - Friendly - Toulon v Racing Metro 92 - Stade Mayol Jacky Lorenzetti's personal fortune stands at an estimated €400 million. Neal Simpson Neal Simpson

Racing’s owner reminded the public that the Heineken Cup champions benefit from major investment by the Conseil général du Var and Ville de Toulon, both of them governmental departments.

The statement came in response to Boudjellal’s suggestion that the knock-out stages of the Top 14 represented “Mourad against the multi-millionaires.” Unsurprisingly, Lorenzetti laughed that idea off as pure fantasy.

The Parisian went on to criticise Boudjellal’s public utterances, which Lorenzetti suggests are very often in contrast to what the Toulon owner is saying in private. It all made for great entertainment, but Boudjellal v Lorenzetti will have little effect on proceedings in Lille tonight.

Those who watched Toulon beat Leinster and Munster in the Heineken Cup will be well aware of their strengths. Mathieu Bastareaud is having the best season of his career, while Steffon Armitage has been inspirational at No. 8.

Matt Giteau and Jonny Wilkinson are the key playmakers for the Toulonnais, a pair that Sexton will relish competing against. The midfield battle looks like being crucial, with Jamie Roberts sure to be heavily depended upon by Racing in carrying directly.

The Parisian club’s forwards out-muscled Toulouse last weekend and have vastly improved as this season has gone on but with Bakkies Botha back in action and Ali Williams on the bench, Toulon are a different breed.

Mathieu Bastareaud Mathieu Bastareaud recently injured his left hamstring, but has been passed fit. INPHO / Billy Stickland INPHO / Billy Stickland / Billy Stickland

Will Laporte and his team have one eye on the Heineken Cup final in eight days’ time?

The likelihood is that they will to an extent, but a Top 14 title is the greater prize this season. It is worth remembering that Toulon have been the beaten finalists for the last two seasons domestically, and haven’t won a French championship since 1992.

In a country where the Bouclier de Brennus is the holy grail, Laporte’s men will certainly not be lacking in motivation, even if only three of the starting XV are Frenchmen.

It means that Racing will need to produce their finest performance of the season to win, but with the ever-growing influence of Ronan O’Gara driving their mindset, the Parisians will enjoy their underdog status.

Not that Sexton will accept the possibility of defeat for a second. The 28-year-old’s intense will to win is one of the major reasons Lorenzetti invested so much of his money in the out-half [his own money, he would be quick to remind us].

The Ireland international will have studied Leinster and Munster’s defeats to Toulon intently. If there are weaknesses to be exposed, Sexton will be the man leading the way.

Kick-off in Lille is at 7.45pm Irish time.

Toulon: Delon Armitage; Drew Mitchell, Mathieu Bastareaud, Matt Giteau, Bryan Habana; Jonny Wilkinson, Sébastien Tillous-Borde; Xavier Chiocci, Craig Burden, Carl Hayman; Bakkies Botha, Jocelino Suta; Juan Smith, Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe, Steffon Armitage.

Replacements: Jean-Charles Orioli, Alexandre Menini, Ali Williams, Virgile Bruni, David Smith, Maxime Mermoz, Michael Claassens, Martin Castrogiovanni.

Racing Métro: Juan Martín Hernández; André Plante, Henry Chavancy, Jamie Roberts, Juan Imhoff; Jonny Sexton, Maxime Machenaud; Julien Brugnaut, Virgile Lacombe, Luc Ducalcon; François van der Merwe, Juandré Kruger; Antoine Battut (capt.), Bernard le Roux, Jacques Cronje.

Replacements: Jérémie Maurouard, Eddy Ben Arous, Fabrice Metz, Wenceslas Lauret, Mike Phillips, Fabrice Estebanez, Benjamin Fall, Brian Mujati.

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