Bath 29-25 Racing 92: Hosts seal spot in Investec Champions Cup knockouts with fine comeback win

Finn Russell (centre) helped Bath to victory over his former club

Bath qualified for the Investec Champions Cup knockouts with a hard-fought bonus-point win over Racing 92.

Scrum-half Nolann le Garrec scored the opening try of the game, with prop Thomas du Toit responding for the hosts.

Second-half tries from Kitione Kamikamica and Henry Arundell extended Racing's lead before tries by Alfie Barbeary, Joe Cokanasiga and Will Muir.

Despite the comeback, Barbeary was sent off for a second yellow card.

The 23-year-old was lucky not be sent off in the opening stages of the game when he made direct shoulder contact to the chin of Max Spring. The challenge was deemed a yellow card.

With five minutes left, the number eight was reviewed for foul play having led with his forearm off the back of the scrum, which was punished to dampen what was an impressive performance from the back rower.

"Neither of the two incidents were on purpose. That's rugby and I felt the referee dealt with that pretty well," said Bath head coach Johann van Graan.

"Alfie was gutted when he came off, but hopefully he can play next weekend because it's two yellow cards and you look at both incidents individually."

Arundell, who is now ineligible to represent England until his contract expires in 2026, appeared to give Racing a healthy buffer when he raced clear down the wing untouched.

But Bath responded with three scores to seal their spot in the knockouts for the first time since 2015.

Bath now travel to Toulouse on 21 January, knowing a win will seal top spot in Pool Two.

Three-time runners-up Racing will need a win in their final game against Cardiff in their hope for qualification to the knockout stages.

• Champions Cup standings

Russell sneaks past former side

Bath came into the fixture after a perfect start to the Champions Cup, with two bonus-point wins over Ulster and Cardiff.

The game was Scotland international Finn Russell's first against his old Racing 92 side, where he spent five seasons and reached the Champions Cup final in 2020.

However, his former employers scored the first try through Le Garrec after a brilliant offload from another new signing - South Africa's World Cup-winning captain Siya Kolisi.

Russell, who thrived in running the star-studded Racing backline, has helped take England's Ollie Lawrence and Cokanasiga's attacking threat to the next level. That duo combined down the wing for Bath's first try, finished off by Du Toit.

Bath replaced fly-half Russell with his understudy Antoine Gibert and he impressed with a pinpoint cross-field kick that landed in the arms of Kamikamica to score.

With Van Graan's side only needing a point to qualify, Arundell's try meant they would require something from their game with Toulouse to secure their spot in the knockouts.

But after two quick tries, Lawrence broke clear after a well worked move to send Muir into the corner and secure a spot in the last 16.

Line-ups

Bath: De Glanville; Cokanasiga, Lawrence, Redpath, Muir; Russell, Spencer (capt); Obano, Dunn, Du Toit, Roux, Ewels, Van Velze, Reid, Barbeary.

Replacements: Annett, Schoeman, Stuart, Stooke, Bayliss, Schreuder, Harris, Cloete.

Racing: Spring; Habosi, Fickou (capt), Chavancy, Arundell; Gibert, Le Garrec; Kolingar, Chat, Laclayat, Woki, Rowlands, Lauret, Kolisi, Kamikamica.

Replacements: Tarrit, Ben Arous, Nyakane, Palu, Baudonne, Diallo, Tedder, Saili.

Referee: Andrea Piardi (Ita)

Sin-bins: Barbeary (6), Will Rowlands (34)

Sent off: Barbeary (75)

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