Toulouse edge Racing in French affair
MATCH REPORT: Four-time winners Toulouse beat Racing 92 on Sunday to claim their first European Champions Cup semifinal spot since 2011.
Despite being a man down for more than 50 minutes, Toulouse managed to grind out a 22-21 victory and set up semi-final against title holders Leinster.
In a frantic opening 25 minutes, the visitors' Zach Holmes was sent off for a high tackle on Racing winger Juan Imhoff after the two French outfits traded early tries from Antoine Dupont and Teddy Thomas while Maxime Machenaud slotted a penalty goal for the home side at a buzzing indoor La Defense Arena.
The Parisians were denied a match-winning try with three minutes to play as second-row Leone Nakarawa was penalised for obstructing Richie Arnold at a lineout.
Toulouse will travel to Leinster on Sunday, April 21.
The other semi-final sees Saracens take on Munster a day earlier in Coventry.
The scorers:
For Racing 92:
Tries: Thomas, Chat
Con: Machenaud
Pens: Machenaud 3
For Toulouse:
Tries: Dupont 2, Medard
Cons: Holmes, Ntamack
Yellow cards: Teddy Thomas (Racing 92, 28) Juan Imhoff (Racing 92, 66)
Red card: Zack Holmes (Toulouse, 22)
Racing 92: 15 Simon Zebo, 14 Teddy Thomas, 13 Virimi Vakatawa, 12 Henry Chavancy, 11 Juan Imhoff, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Maxime Machenaud, 8 Antonie Claassen, 7 Bernard Le Roux, 6 Baptiste Chouzenoux, 5 Leone Nakarawa, 4 Donnacha Ryan, 3 Ben Tameifuna, 2 Dimitri Szarzewski (captain), 1 Guram Gogichashvili.
Replacements: 16 Camille Chat, 17 Eddy Ben Arous, 18 Cedate Gomes Sa, 19 Dominic Bird, 20 Boris Palu, 21 Antoine Gibert, 22 Ben Volavola, 23 Wenceslas Lauret,
Toulouse: 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Yoann Huget, 13 Sofiane Guitoune, 12 Romain Ntamack, 11 Maxime Médard, 10 Zack Holmes, 9 Antoine Dupont, 8 Jerome Kaino (captain), 7 Francois Cros, 6 Rynhardt Elstadt, 5 Richie Gray, 4 Richie Arnold, 3 Charlie Faumuina, 2 Peato Mauvaka, 1 Cyril Baille.
Replacements: 16 Guillaume Marchand, 17 Clément Castets, 18 Maks Van Dyk, 19 Selevasio Tolofua, 20 Piula Faasalele, 21 Sébastien Bézy, 22 Thomas Ramos, 23 Pita Ahki.
Referee: Luke Pearce (England)
Assistant referees: Matthew Carley (England), Tom Foley (England)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (England)