THE BATTLE FOR second place and a guaranteed spot in the Top 14 semi-finals will go down to the final game of the regular season after Racing 92 thrashed Bordeaux-Begles 39-15 and Toulouse struck a blow to La Rochelle’s play-off aspirations.
Second-placed Racing hold a one-point advantage over Toulouse following a bonus-point defeat of Bordeaux at Stade Chaban-Delmas today.
The European Champions Cup finalists will fancy their chances of joining Montpellier in the semi-finals, with a home clash with Agen to come next weekend.
Six points from the boot of Dan Carter gave Racing a 6-0 half-time advantage and they ran riot after the break, Juan Imhoff claiming a double and Louis Dupichot, Teddy Thomas and Leone Nakarawa also going over.
Jean-Baptiste Dubie and Florian Dufour crossed late on for a Bordeaux side with nothing but pride to play for, but rampant Racing had already done enough to win it by then, fly-half Carter finishing with 14 points.
Toulouse missed out on a bonus point in a 19-14 win over La Rochelle later in the day, the excellent Piula Faasalele scoring their only try in the first half.
Thomas Ramos was on target with four penalties and there was drama when Gillian Galan was sent off right at the end after Victor Vito gave La Rochelle hope with a try 14 minutes from time.
Toulouse travel to Clermont Auvergne next Saturday, while Toulon – who are just one point further back — are away to Pau.
