Racing 44-12 Ulster: Simon Zebo among scorers in Champions Cup win
Last Updated: 20/10/18 8:17pm
Racing 92 established themselves as the early pacesetters in Pool Four of the Heineken Champions Cup with a 44-12 victory over Ulster in Paris.
Tries from Teddy Iribaren, Wenceslas Lauret, Juan Imhoff, Teddy Thomas and Simon Zebo, plus 18 points from the boot of Finn Russell was enough to secure the victory.
Ulster scored two tries of their own courtesy of David Shanahan and Jacob Stockdale while Billy Burns kicked two points.
Ulster made the perfect start when Burns launched a scintillating counter-attack from his own 22 with his pass sending full-back Michael Lowry charging down field before being brought down in Racing's 22.
But the ball was recycled before Will Addison put Shanahan over with a well-timed pass.
Ulster were then reduced to 14 men when number eight Nick Timoney received a yellow card for lifting Fabien Sanconnie above the horizontal.
The visitors further extended their lead with Stockdale crossing at the far left-hand corner for his 23rd try in 33 Ulster appearances following a period of sustained pressure in the Racing 22.
Racing hit back when number eight Antonie Claassen charged forward off the back of a powerful scrum before drawing his man to put replacement scrum-half Iribaren over.
The home side claimed their second try just five minutes later when Imhoff made a searing break into the Ulster 22. He was brought down but the ball was recycled before Lauret crossed the try line.
Craig Gilroy blew a golden opportunity to retake the lead when he was put clear by Addison but the ball was spilled forward.
Russell put his side further ahead with a penalty from 40 metres out to give the Parisians a 20-12 lead at the interval.
Imhoff touched down between the posts in the early stages of the second half after an initial break by Olivier Klemenczak to put Racing in control.
Russell added three more points for Racing with a successful penalty after Gilroy was penalised for intentionally knocking the ball forward.
Last season's finalists secured the try bonus point with a fine try which came through a moment of brilliance from Scotland star Russell.
The outside half chipped the ball over the top of the Ulster defence from within his own 22 before regathering and putting Thomas clear and he sprinted 50 metres for the try.
Ireland international Zebo rubbed salt into Ulster's wounds with a fifth try which came after some slick handling by the hosts.