Racing 92’s French full-back Max Spring (R) fights for the ball with Stade Francais’ Argentinian lock Marcos Kremer (L) during the French Top 14 playoff rugby union match between Stade Francais and Racing 92 at The Jean Bouin Stadium in Paris on June 3, 2023. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
WATCH: Pumas lock sent off for vicious clearout in Top 14
Scotland star Finn Russell was on the receiving end of a red-card foul just five minutes into the Parisian derby in the Top 14.
Racing 92’s French full-back Max Spring (R) fights for the ball with Stade Francais’ Argentinian lock Marcos Kremer (L) during the French Top 14 playoff rugby union match between Stade Francais and Racing 92 at The Jean Bouin Stadium in Paris on June 3, 2023. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
Scotland star Finn Russell was on the receiving end of a red-card foul just five minutes into the Parisian derby in the Top 14 play-offs between his Racing 92 and Stade Francais.
Stade play host to fifth-place Racing for the right to face Toulouse in next weekend’s last four.
The contest was always going to be physical but Kremer took it too far when he zeroed right in on the head of Russell.
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Watch: Marcos Kremer sees red for challenge on Finn Russell in Top 14
When the foraging Marcos Kremer surged into the breakdown and smacked the Scotsman’s head with his left shoulder, Russell was in a ruck helping to defend Racing ball.
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Referee Pierre Brousset brandished the red card to the Stade forward as a result of the coming together after reviewing the video evidence.
It is not the first time the Pumas lock has fallen foul of officials this season.
When playing for Argentina against Russell’s Scotland at BT Murrayfield in November, Kremer, who had only recently returned from the ban he had earned for his sending off for Stade against Pau, was dismissed for recklessly charging into a ruck and colliding with Jamie Ritchie’s head.
The Scots were able to secure a significant 52-29 victory thanks to Kremer’s dismissal, and at a following midweek disciplinary session, Kremer was given a four-match suspension.
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Racing move on
Russell, who is headed to Bath in the off-season, was brought off the field for an HIA after Kremer was sent off at Stade Jean-Bouin. Kremer is set to play for Clermont next season after the Rugby World Cup with Argentina but his stint with Stade had an ignoble end with Racing moving out to 14-3 edge when Russell returned, and he quickly increased this margin to 17-3 with a penalty kick.
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That advantage did not last, though, as Stade scored two tries to tie the game at 17 all after Racing was given two yellow cards in the final few minutes before halftime, turning the score into 13-versus-14.
Racing, though, was the superior team in the second half, and three Russell free kicks placed them 26-17 up before a late converted try by Gael Fickou clinched the 33-20 triumph.
