Kolisi scores as Racing 92 thump Cardiff for play-off spot
CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: Racing 92 qualified for the Champions Cup Round of 16 with a bonus-point 48-26 win against Cardiff.
The TOP14 club only won one of their four pool games, but will now look to be a threat in the knockout stage of the competition.
It was an entertaining first period at La Defense Arena, with Racing 92 picking up three tries to Cardiff’s two.
Cardiff’s scores bookended the half, with prop Rhys Carre and scrumhalf Tomos Williams going over, flyhalf Tinus de Beer adding one set of extras.
For the TOP14 club, No.8 Kitione Kamikamica, flank Siya Kolisi, and centre Inia Tabuavou all went over in the first 40, fullback Tristan Tedder adding one conversion while scrumhalf Nolann le Garrec also added a penalty.
At just 20-12, Cardiff may have harboured hopes of an unlikely comeback, but within the first ten minutes of the second period Racing 92 scored three converted tries.
Tedder, wing Christian Wade, and replacement Maxime Baudonne all went over as Tedder added the extras, Racing 92’s lead ballooning from eight to 29.
But Cardiff were not for turning – they dug in and showed fight, with Williams and De Beer getting over to secure a bonus-point for the visitors, De Beer adding the extras for both.
But Racing 92 were a class above – replacement Janick Tarrit scored the TOP14 club’s seventh try, with Cardiff wing Aled Summerhill getting a yellow card in the buildup.
The scorers:
For Racing 92:
Tries: Kamikamica, Kolisi, Tabuavou, Tedder, Wade, Baudonne, Tarrit
Cons: Tedder 5
Pen: Le Garrec
For Cardiff:
Tries: Carre, T Williams 2, de Beer
Cons: De Beer 3
Yellow card: Aled Summerhill (Cardiff, 74)
Teams
Racing 92: 15 Tristan Tedder, 14 Christian Wade, 13 Gael Fickou (captain), 12 Inia Tabuavou, 11 Juan Imhoff, 10 Antoine Gibert, 9 Nolann Le Garrec, 8 Kitione Kamikamica, 7 Siya Kolisi, 6 Ibrahim Diallo, 5 Will Rowlands, 4 Cameron Woki, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Camille Chat, 1 Hassane Kolingar
Replacements: 16 Janick Tarrit, 17 Eddy Ben Arous, 18 Gia Kharaishvili, 19 Fabien Sanconnie, 20 Maxime Baudonne, 21 Clovis le Bail, 22 Olivier Klemenczak, 23 Donovan Taofifenua
Cardiff: 15 Jacob Beetham, 14 Aled Summerhill, 13 Rey Lee-Lo, 12 Ben Thomas, 11 Mason Grady, 10 Tinus de Beer, 9 Tomos Williams, 8 Mackenzie Martin, 7 Ellis Jenkins (captain), 6 Alex Mann, 5 Rory Thornton, 4 Teddy Williams, 3 Keiron Assiratti, 2 Efan Daniel, 1 Rhys Carre
Replacements: 16 Dafydd Hughes, 17 Rhys Barratt, 18 Rhys Litterick, 19 Seb Davies, 20 Lopeti Timani, 21 Thomas Young, 22 Ellis Bevan, 23 Owen Lane
Referee: Christophe Ridley (England)
Assistant referees: TBC
TMO: Tom Foley (England)
Source: @ChampionsCup
