Montpellier humiliate Racing to go second in Top 14

Montpellier ran in eight tries to move second in the French Top 14 with a humiliating 54-3 defeat of reigning champions Racing 92 on Saturday.

Jake White's side are one point ahead of third-placed Clermont with two games to play as they target direct qualification for the Top 14 semi-finals next month.

Leaders La Rochelle are nine points ahead of Montpellier who they host next weekend.

Racing 92 stay sixth in the final play-off spot but have no room for manoeuvre in their final two games against Stade Français and Bordeaux-Bègles.

The match was rescheduled after the players' strike over the now abandoned merger plan between Paris rivals Racing and Stade Francais.

But it was a fall back to earth for Racing who suffered their first defeat since the controversy after solid wins over Clermont, Pau and Toulouse.

Montpellier continued the punishment they inflicted on now relegated pair Grenoble (54-14) and Bayonne (61-22) during their last two matches.

White's troops were in total command throughout assuring a bonus point after just 17 minutes.

Fijian wing Nemani Nadolo resisted two tackles to touch down on four minutes, and then helped centre Kélian Galletier (8) and South African hooker Bismarck Du Plessis (17) score two more tries.

The hosts defence was solid despite Nadolo's temporary sin binning with Racing's only points from a Dan Carter penalty on 14 minutes at the Altrad Stadium.

After the break it was all one-way traffic with five more tries including a quickfire double from Montpellier's new South African fly-half Willie Du Plessis.

Humiliated Racing leave Montpellier with a similar whipping as last year 60-7.