Lambie’s Racing 92 lash Munster to make Champions Cup final

South Africa’s Pat Lambie started at flyhalf in Racing 92’s 27-22 Champions Cup semi-final win against Munster in Bordeaux.

Racing will play Leinster in the final in Barcelona in May. Leinster on Saturday hammered the Scarlets.

Lambie played the first 55 minutes at flyhalf and the last 25 minutes at fullback to accommodate the introduction of All Blacks legend Dan Carter.

Racing were sensational in attack in the opening 25 minutes and led 24-3 at half time through three converted tries. Munster scored two converted tries in the 78th and 82nd minute but all it did was make the mauling look closer on the scoreboard than it ever was.

Racing were always in control and the victory was set up with the three-try burst in a 15 minute period.

Racing winger Teddy Thomas scored two tries and could have had at third but he gifted his captain (and scrumhalf) Machenaud  a try when passing him the ball while already over the goalline.

South African-born French international loose-forwards Bernard le Roux and Antonie Claassen were also in the Racing match day squad, with Le Roux starting and Claassen closing out the game.

Scorers

Racing 92

Tries – Thomas (2), Machenaud

Convs – Machenaud (3)

Pens – Machenaud (2)

Munster

Tries – Zebo, Marshall and Conway

Convs – Hanrahan (2)

Pen: Keatly

Teams

Munster: Conway; Earls, Arnold, Scannell, Wootton; Keatley, Murray; Kilcoyne, Scannell, Archer, Kleyn, Holland, O’Mahony (capt), O’Donoghue, Stander

Replacements: R Marshall, J Cronin, J Ryan, Grobler, Copeland, Hart, Hanrahan, Zebo

Racing: Dupichot; Thomas, Vakatawa, Chavancy, Andreu; Lambie, Machenaud; Ben Arous, Chat, Gomes Sa, Ryan, Nakarawa, Lauret, Le Roux, Nyanga

Replacements: Szarzewski, Kakovin, Afatia, Claassen, Chouzenoux, Iribaren, Carter, Rokocoko