“Maqala Leads Bayonne Past Racing 92 to Secure Third in Top 14”
Fiji centre Sireli Maqala secured his sixth try of the season as Bayonne defeated Racing 92 by 32-15 in the French Top 14 on Saturday.
Maqala’s second-half try lifted Bayonne to third place in the standings and made him the season’s top try-scorer.
Racing, missing former England captain Owen Farrell, who was rested, suffered their fourth loss of the campaign, leaving them in 10th place.
Bayonne led 13-3 at halftime, thanks to a try from veteran Argentine hooker Facundo Bosch, with fly-half Joris Segonds adding a conversion and two penalties. Racing’s only first-half points came from a Nolann Le Garrec penalty, with the scrum-half likely to be named in France’s November Test squad next week.
Maqala extended Bayonne’s lead early in the second half, scoring five minutes after the break. Further tries from Argentina winger Mateo Carreras and Bosch’s replacement Lucas Martin put the hosts ahead 32-3 with 15 minutes remaining.
However, Bayonne missed out on an attacking bonus point as Racing responded late, with tries from fly-half Dan Lancaster, son of Racing’s director of rugby Stuart Lancaster, and scrum-half Clovis Le Bail.
Uncapped prop Tevita Tatafu, born in Tonga, came through the game injury-free and could earn a spot in Fabien Galthié’s squad for next month’s internationals. Maqala’s impressive form also bodes well for Fiji ahead of their November matches against Scotland, Wales, and Spain.
Later in the Top 14, former Scotland full-back Stuart Hogg starts at fly-half as Montpellier visit Toulon, while Stade Français face struggling Castres.
In the day’s final fixture, France captain Antoine Dupont will make his first start of the season when Toulouse play Pau. Dupont recently returned from winning Olympic sevens gold, where he scored a hat-trick in nine minutes.
On Sunday, league leaders Bordeaux-Bègles field a heavily rotated side for their trip to La Rochelle.