Racing Metro 11 Leinster 36:Leinster assured a home quarter-final in the Heineken Cup with a convincing win over Racing Metro in Colombes, courtesy of five tries, including 21 points from outhalf Jonathan Sexton.
The 2009 champions played fast and loose, as did their hosts, untypically, given their recent form. There was little at stake for the French side, so caution was abandoned and the gloves came off.
It was Leinster, however, who fared better in such conditions – their ambition and handling comfortably outweighed the risk involved and after Isa Nacewa got them underway, Seán O’Brien, Sexton and Brian O’Driscoll all crossed the line.
A semi-final berth, therefore, looks all the more attainable for Joe Schmidt's side, even if defensively the coach will have some questions to ask of his charges.
O'Driscoll and company booked their place in the last-eight with a six-try demolition of Saracens last Saturday but, needing another victory to be sure of playing at home in the last eight, Schmidt named a strong line-up for this trip to Paris.
Gordon D'Arcy returned from injury at inside centre, while Isaac Boss was preferred to Eoin Reddan at scrumhalf. With the inspirational Jamie Heaslip still absent with an ankle injury, the in-form O'Brien moved to number eight.
Racing's interest in the competition ended last week in defeat at Clermont Auvergne and, with a tough Top 14 fixture to come against the same opposition on Wednesday, they fielded a largely second-string team.
Argentina's Juan Martin Hernandez was at outhalf but there was no place in the starting line-up for the likes of Lionel Nallet and Francois Steyn.
Hernandez opened the scoring with a penalty from 40 metres but it did not take the 2009 champions long to warm up on a bitterly cold night.
After spotting a gap in the Racing defence, Sexton's offload just failed to find Shane Horgan but it only held the visitors up temporarily. They showed great patience before working the ball wide where Horgan sent Nacewa over for the first try. Sexton converted to put Leinster 7-3 ahead.
But, after Hernandez missed another penalty, Racing hit back with a stunning try. Fijian powerhouse Vakatawa, who is just 18, evaded three Leinster tackles on the right to score in the corner before Hernandez missed the conversion.
O'Brien, who signed a new contract during the week, almost replied instantly after chipping on for himself. A minute later when Racing knocked on in their own 22, however, O'Brien was there to capitalise and dot down after linking with Boss. Sexton converted to make it 14-8 at the end of the first quarter.
Just four minutes later, the visitors added a third try. A drive by the forwards was held up on the line but Leinster's quick-passing backs once again came to the fore.
The ball was swept wide to Luke Fitzgerald and when it was worked back inside to D'Arcy again, the fleet-footed centre gave Sexton the simple task of finishing the move off. He again added the extras to leave Leinster 21-8 up.
Racing dug deep though and enjoyed a long spell in the Leinster 22 before Hernandez scored another penalty on 36 minutes to narrow the gap before the break.
Sexton nudged Leinster further ahead with a 54th minute penalty, in what was a slow-burning second period.
Eight minutes later, he scored his second try, with replacement Fergus McFadden and the forwards doing the damage before Nacewa fed the outhalf.
With the French side tiring, O'Driscoll rounded things off by taking a neat delivery from O'Brien and cantering in by the posts.
Second placed Clermont Auvergne kept their Heineken Cup quarter-final hopes alive as they clinched a bonus point with a last-gasp fourth try in an exciting tie at Vicarage Road.
Clermont went into the tie needing a maximum five-point haul to give them genuine hope of qualifying from Pool Two, although a win would guarantee them the consolation of an Amlin Challenge Cup last-eight spot.
Their success puts pressure on Ulster to get a result against Aironi Rugby in Italy tomorrow, where a win would suffice for the northerners.
