Racing storm into last eight

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 All Black Laulala crossed twice while Juan Imhoff, Bernard Le Roux, Louis Dupichot also touched down in the first half 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 then 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.

Racing capitalised with three tries in quick succession. Mike Phillips caught Scarlets out-numbered on the blindside with a pass for Laulala to grab his first. Flank 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 quarterfinals. 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. Ex-Wales scrumhalf Phillips was 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 on 51 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.

The scorers:

For Racing:

Tries: Imhoff 2, Laulala 3, Claassen, Dupichot, Penalty Try, Goosen

Cons: Carter 5, Dulin 2, Goosen

Pen: Carter

For Scarlets:

Tries: Van der Merwe, G Davies

Cons: Shingler 2

Yellow cards: Mike Phillips (Racing 92), Maselino Paulino (Scarlets), DTH van der Merwe (Scarlets)

Teams:

Racing 92: 15 Brice Dulin, 14 Louis Dupichot, 13 Casey Laulala, 12 Dan Carter, 11 Juan Imhoff, 10 Remi Tales, 9 Mike Phillips, 8 Antonie Claassen, 7 Bernard Le Roux, 6 Yannick Nyanga, 5 Manuel Carizza, 4 Luke Charteris, 3 Ben Tameifuna, 2 Dimitri Szarzewski, 1 Eddy Ben Arous

Replacements: 16 Camille Chat, 17 Julien Brugnaut, 18 Martin Castrogiovanni, 19 Thibault Dubarry, 20 Chris Masoe, 21 Maxime Machenaud, 22 Henry Chavancy, 23 Johan Goosen

Scarlets: 15 Mike Collins, 14 Steff Evans, 13 Regan King, 12 Hadleigh Parkes, 11 DTH van der Merwe, 10 Steven Shingler, 9 Gareth Davies, 8 Morgan Allen, 7 Aaron Shingler, 6 Rory Pitman, 5 Maselino Paulino, 4 George Earle, 3 Samson Lee, 2 Ken Owens, 1 Phil John

Replacements: 16 Kirby Myhill, 17 Wyn Jones, 18 Rhodri Jones, 19 Tom Price, 20 Tom Phillips, 21 Rhodri Williams, 22 Dan Jones, 23 Steff Hughes

Referee: Matthew Carley (England)

Assistant Referees: Ian Tempest (England), Wayne Falla (England)

TMO: David Grashoff (England)

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