Magnificent Montpellier retain Top 14 lead with Racing thrashing

Top 14 leaders Montpellier bounced back from their shock defeat to Agen in style on Saturday with a 41-3 trouncing of second-placed Racing 92.

Jan Serfontein ran in two tries, while Nico Janse van Rensburg, Timoci Nagusa and Louis Picamoles all crossed in the second half as Vern Cotter’s men cantered past their nearest rivals and made it 10 league wins from 10 on home soil this term.

The only negative for Montpellier came when Nagusa suffered an apparent knee injury in the act of scoring his side’s fourth try.

Racing would have replaced their opponents as Top 14 leaders with a victory at Altrad Stadium, but the visitors were ultimately outclassed.

Et c'est terminé ! Le MHR s'impose face au @racing92 avec le bonus offensif sur le score de 41 à 3 !
Merci aux supporters pour cette ambiance de feu à l'Altrad Stadium ! ?#MHRR92 #TEAMMHR pic.twitter.com/cPQHMXVMC2

— Montpellier Rugby (@MHR_officiel) March 10, 2018

A moment of magic from Serfontein produced the only touchdown of the first half, the South Africa centre skilfully chipping over the top of the Racing defence before collecting his own kick to score.

Montpellier led 13-3 at the interval, Ruan Pienaar adding a conversion and two penalties prior to a solitary three-pointer from Pat Lambie, before effectively wrapping up victory with two tries in the first five minutes of the second period.

Martin Devergie’s superb offload sent Janse van Rensburg clear down the right wing and Serfontein crashed over from first receiver, with Pienaar converting both touchdowns.

Racing were unable to hit back even when home prop Jannie du Plessis was yellow-carded and late tries from Nagusa and Louis Picamoles rounded off a superb afternoon for Montpellier.