European Champions Cup
Racing 92 book home quarter-final with ease
PA Sport
January 17, 2016
Report Match details
Date/Time: Jan 17, 2016, 14:00 local, 13:00 GMT
Venue: Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes, Paris
Racing Metro 64 - 14 Scarlets
Attendance: 6931  Half-time: 38 - 0
Tries: Claassen, Dupichot, Goosen, Imhoff 2, Laulala 3, Penalty
Cons: Carter 5, Dulin 2, Goosen
Pens: Carter
Tries: Davies, van der Merwe
Cons: SC Shingler 2
Llanelli's scrum-half from Wales Gareth Davies (2ndR) vies with Racing Metro 92 New Zealand centre Casey Laulala (C, L) during the European Rugby Champions Cup match beetween Racing Metro 92 vs Llanelli Scarlets on January 17, 2016 at Yves du Manoir stadium in Colombes. / AFP / LIONEL BONAVENTURE
Racing 92's Casey Laulala tries to break through the Scarlets defence
© Getty Images
Enlarge
Related Links
Tournaments/Tours: European Rugby Champions Cup

Racing 92 hammered Scarlets 64-14 at Stade Yves du Manoir to book a home quarter-final in the Champions Cup.

Racing racked up their biggest win in the tournament while also inflicting Scarlets' heaviest defeat in Europe. Casey Laulala scored a hat-trick as the French league leaders ran in nine tries at Stade Yves-du-Manoir.

Former New Zealand international Laulala crossed twice in the first-half while Juan Imhoff, Bernard Le Roux, Louis Dupichot also touched down in a 40-minute spell that also saw Scarlets briefly reduced to 13 men. Scarlets reduced the damage on the scoreboard with tries from DTH van der Merwe and Gareth Davies early in the second half. But Imhoff claimed his second after the pack secured a penalty try and Johan Goosen and Laulala completed the rout late on.

Dan Carter opened the scoring with a penalty before Imhoff combined with Dupichot and raced clear for the opening try on 13 minutes. Scarlets lock Maselino Paulino was shown a yellow card for a high tackle and wing Van der Merwe followed moments later for a tip-tackle that left them facing Racing with just 13 players for a five-minute spell, and the hosts capitalised with three tries in quick succession.

Mike Phillips caught Scarlets outnumbered on the blindside with a pass for Laulala to grab his first. Flanker Le Roux then latched onto a clever cross-field kick from Remi Tales. Paulino returned but Dupichot made the most of opposite number Van der Merwe's yellow card when he raced clear to clinch the bonus point that Racing needed to secure a home tie in the quarter-finals.

Laulala then stepped through a tiring Scarlets defence on the stroke of half-time for a staggering 38-0 lead at half-time. Scarlets had little more than pride to play for and managed a comeback of sorts early in the second half. Van der Merwe grabbed his first European try for his new club after Paulino's break.

Former Wales scrum-half Phillips was sin-binned as Scarlets pressed and his successor Davies made the most of the space from the back of a scrum to grab a second try after 50 minutes. However any thoughts of a bonus point were swept aside as the Racing pack combined with a driving maul that earned a penalty try. Imhoff was in support to take a scoring pass from Chris Masoe for his second try that took Racing past 50 points. Davies and Steven Shingler went close for Scarlets but Goosen added a try that he converted before Laulala completed his hat-trick two minutes from time to take Racing past 60 points for the first time in Europe.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd

Live Sports

Communication error please reload the page.