Juan Imhoff stars as Racing 92 beat Toulon in Top 14

Omnisports

September 18, 2016 2:48 AM

Juan Imhoff scored a hat-trick as Racing 92 beat Toulon in a thrilling repeat of this year's Top 14 final at Stade Yves du Manoir

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Juan Imhoff scored a hat-trick as Racing 92 beat Toulon 41-30 in a thrilling repeat of last season's Top 14 final at Stade Yves du Manoir on Sunday.

Racing beat Toulon in a showdown in Barcelona back in June to be crowned champions of France despite having Maxime Machenaud sent off, having also ended their European Champions Cup reign at the quarter-final stage.

The Paris club outdid Toulon again, consigning them to a third defeat of the season thanks in no small part to Imhoff at the end of a week in which France scrum-half Machenaud signed a new contract to run until 2020.

Argentina winger Imhoff touched down twice in the first half and Casey Laulala also dotted down before Jonathan Pelissie went over just before half-time and Leigh Halfpenny converted to reduce the deficit to 20-16.

Wenceslas Lauret added another five-pointer, while former New Zealand centre Laulala claimed his second and Imhoff complete his treble, with Dan Carter taking his tally of points from the tee to 11 to give Racing a 41-16 lead.

Toulon showed some fight and were rewarded with a penalty try and an Anthony Belleau score, with Halfpenny converting on both occasions, but Racing were not to be denied a third win of the season.

Grenoble are rooted to the foot of the table after they were on the end of a 46-9 hammering at Castres.

Castres ran in three tries in the first half and another four following the interval in a one-sided encounter.

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