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Spring quick-fire hat-trick helps Racing stun Bordeaux-Begles
Spring quick-fire hat-trick helps Racing stun Bordeaux-Begles
Winger Max Spring scored three tries in 12 minutes as Racing 92 stunned Bordeaux-Begles 44-32 in the French Top 14 on Sunday.
One-time France international Spring, 24, inspired his young side to their first win of the new season having been hammered at Lyon last weekend.
Bordeaux-Begles, Champions Cup winners and Top 14 runners-up last season, were startled after Spring's early interventions in Paris and failed to build on last Saturday's victory over La Rochelle.
Yannick Bru's Bordeaux-Begles handed starts to their France wing pair of Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Damian Penaud, who scored 60 tries between them for club and country last season.
Racing 92's lack of depth was highlighted by naming 19-year-old tight-head prop Edouard Jabe on the bench for his senior debut with close-season signing in Australia No 3 Taniela Tupou only expected to arrive in the French capital in December.
The hosts led 31-3 after barely half an hour as Spring crossed for his hat-trick after 20-year-old scrum-half Leo Carbonneau had crossed early on.
By the break they were 36-8 ahead as Ugo Seunes, Owen Farrell's replacement at fly-half following the ex-England captain's premature departure this summer, kicked two penalties and Bielle-Biarrey sneaked over for the visitors.
Racing's unexpected win was secured after the interval as former England No 8 Nathan Hughes scored before Bordeaux-Begles claimed four consolation tries in the final 25 minutes to deny the hosts a bonus point.
Champions Toulouse, who edged Bordeaux-Begles in last season's decider, are second in the table having beaten Perpignan 31-13 on Saturday.
Lyon are top after another superb solo try from Fiji winger Jiuta Wainiqolo helped them to a 25-18 win over promoted Montauban.
Clermont's Australia lock Rob Simmons made some unwanted history as he became the first Top 14 player to receive an orange card in the 34-16 loss at La Rochelle.
Under the new rule, the player is sent off but can be replaced by another player after 20 minutes.
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