The China Mail - Racing 92 hoping to delay Russell's farewell in Top 14 playoffs

Russell, 30, joined the Parisians in 2018 but will join English club Bath after this year's Rugby World Cup.

During his spell in the leafy western suburbs of the French capital Russell has reached a Top 14 semi-final as well as being a Champions Cup runner up and is potentially three games away from winning the French title.

"He's an extraordinary player. We will miss him," Racing and France centre Gael Fickou told reporters on Thursday.

"In any case they will be his final matches with Racing 92, if it's one, two or three.

"I hope it will be three," he added.

British and Irish Lion Russell has scored 13 tries and 452 points while being one of the Top 14's highest paid players during his influential stint at La Defense Arena.

"Finn did all he could, he's given his maximum for Racing 92," Racing head coach Laurent Travers told reporters this week.

"I hope he'll be able to wear the jersey for as long as possible and that we'll have 80 minutes more afterwards to see him in the Racing 92 jersey," he added.

- 'Perfect' -

Academy product Antoine Gibert and Perpignan's Tristan Tedder will compete for Russell's shirt next season with England's Marcus Smith linked once again this week with a move to Racing by newspaper Midi Olympique.

As the relaxed Russell departs for the Recreation Ground, Travers will replace millionaire Jacky Lorenzetti as club president.

Leinster's English coach Stuart Lancaster will then take over as head coach from Travers next season.

"When he speaks with his Scottish accent, I find it hard to understand English," Travers said.

"I don't expect Finn to improve my English!" he jokingly added.

In the other playoff, before the June 9-10 semi-finals in San Sebastian with Toulouse and La Rochelle already qualified, Lyon host Bordeaux-Begles on Sunday.

Bordeaux-Begles, who have reached the last four in the past two seasons, have won just twice on the road this season.

"We're capable with this squad to do something even if our performances away from home haven't been very good this season," their France scrum-half Maxime Lucu told AFP this week.

"We'll need the perfect match and make Lyon doubt themselves," he added.

Also this weekend, in the promotion playoff on Saturday, Grenoble, who lost in the second-tier ProD2 final last weekend, host Perpignan, who finished in 13th place in the top-flight, to a sold-out Stade des Alpes.

Fixtures (times GMT)

Saturday

Stade Francais v Racing 92 (1200)

Sunday

Lyon v Bordeaux-Begles (1905)

T.Wu--ThChM