Racing a threat in all areas
Racing 92 44 Ulster 12
ULSTER captain Rory Best believes Racing 92 merit being talked up as potential Heineken Champions Cup winners after this stylish bonus point win.
Last year’s finalists were too hot to handle at La Defense Arena.
Ulster did lead 12-3 through early tries from darting No9 Dave Shanahan and Ireland winger Jacob Stockdale who dived over for his third try in as many games this season.
But Racing, who narrowly lost last year’s final to Leinster, hit back with quickfire scores from Teddy Iribaren and Wenceslas Lauret.
Juan Imhoff, Teddy Thomas and Simon Zebo also touched down in the second half as the French giants scored 41 unanswered points.
Best insists Ulster will take positives from “aspects” of their display but admits the visitors couldn’t match Racing’s killer instinct.
He said: “It shows the difference between a team that are favourites to win the competition and a team trying to get itself into a position where they win games like that.
“We’ll look back at the game in a lot of frustration because we worked really hard to get a lead and gave it up a little bit easily.
“The scoreline suggests we were well beaten but I think there were parts within the game where we really had a chance. Some of that was our own undoing and they scored off set-pieces.”