JUAN IMHOFF, OMITTED from Argentina’s squad for the ongoing Rugby World Cup, scored twice as Racing 92 claimed their first away win of the French Top 14 season with a 31-3 victory over Pau.
Imhoff, 31, who last appeared for the Pumas at the tournament four years ago, dotted down in the second-half as Racing moved off the bottom of the table.
Pau’s only points came from a penalty by former New Zealand fly-half Colin Slade, who will be joined at the club by All Blacks Ben Smith and Luke Whitelock after the World Cup in Japan.
The visitors led 6-3 thanks to a pair of Teddy Iribaren penalties either side of Colin Slade’s effort on the half hour mark in an error-strewn first half.
The game sparked into life after the break as scrum-half Iribaren added two further penalties to extend his side’s advantage to 12-3 after 53 minutes.
Imhoff’s first try of proceedings came as he ran in from 60 metres just before the hour mark.
He intercepted Julien Fumat’s pass, a third touchdown of such nature for the season for the Argentinian.
Imhoff claimed his sixth five-pointer of the campaign with 10 minutes to play.
Simon Zebo, also not selected for the World Cup, found space and fed Imhoff to run in the corner.
Fly-half Joaquin Diaz Bonilla, brought in as cover for Scotland’s Finn Russell and Fiji’s Ben Volavola, added the extras to bring the score to 24-3 as Racing chased the bonus point with a third try.
The additional points came after the final hooter as Sam Hidalgo-Clyne scored after late pressure from the Parisians, who also secured their first victory at Pau since 2007.
Later on Sunday three-time former European champions Toulon, who have ex-All Blacks winger Julian Savea on the bench after he recovered from flu, welcome La Rochelle.
On Saturday, pressure piled on Stade Francais’ South African head coach Heyneke Meyer after a fifth defeat of the season, 46-16 to Castres, left them bottom of the table.
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