This Glasgow Warriors team are serious Euro contenders as ex-player's antics can't throw them off stride

On a night when their backs were in imperious form, the 29-19 victory secured Glasgow’s place in the last 16 of the Investec Champions Cup with a game to spare.

Franco Smith’s side are top of Pool 4 ahead of the weekend matches and will complete their group phase against Harlequins away next Saturday. It’s a game they will be desperate to win to ensure they land a home tie in the first knockout round.

The damage against Racing was done in the first half as George Horne, Jamie Dobie, Sebastian Cancelliere and Sione Tuipulotu all ran in tries to showcase just how devastating their backline can be. Tom Jordan was pulling the strings and Tuipulotu and Huw Jones were outstanding in the centre. Special mention should also go to Jack Mann, the No 8, who has emerged as a real asset for the Warriors this season.

There was a drop off in the second half, which will be a concern for Smith, but the game was won in the first 40. Racing were a pale shadow of their former selves and although they outscored the hosts by two tries to one in the second half, Stuart Lancaster’s side never looked like winning this match. They were missing some of their star turns with Owen Farrell, Gaël Fickou, Cameron Woki and Jordan Joseph all absent - and it showed.

On a bitterly cold night, it didn’t pay to hang around and there were only 20 seconds on the clock when Tuipulotu burst forth from his own 22 and made it almost as far as Racing’s. It was a sign of Glasgow’s intent and the first try followed a couple of minutes later. Horne wasn't on the pitch for long but his contribution was significant, setting the Warriors on their way and chalking up a personal landmark.

The score stemmed from the first scrum and Glasgow’s backline exploded into action. The ball went out the back and Jordan played it inside to his scrum-half who finished with typical elan. It was his 12th European try, a record for a Warriors player, and he added the conversion for good measure.

Unfortunately, Horne departed shortly after, a head injury forcing him off. Dobie came on and quickly proved himself a more than adequate replacement, running in Glasgow’s second try after the visitors failed to deal with Matt Fagerson’s break through the middle.

Racing have a proud history in this competition, reaching the final on three occasions, but they were a distant second at Scotstoun. Lucio Sordoni, their mulleted tighthead prop, was back on his old stamping ground and was determined to make a nuisance of himself. He was needlessly involved in a couple of early flashpoints and had a bloodied head for his troubles.

The Warriors weren’t unduly bothered by Sordoni’s antics. Their backs were in irresistible form and Racing simply couldn’t cope with their passing speed as the ball was moved out the line for Cancelliere to score try No 3. Jordan struck the post with his conversion attempt, as he had also done after Dobie’s try, but the home side were 17-0 ahead and looking good.

Racing desperately needed a way back in and their fly-half, Antoine Gibert, gave them some hope by creating a try for Fijian wing Vinaya Habosi with a well measured cross-kick. Habosi won the aerial battle against Cancelliere to score.

Glasgow were stung and their response was admirable. From a lineout, Rory Darge spun out the back and played in Tuipulotu who ran the perfect line to bag the bonus-point try just before half-time as the hosts went in at the turn 22-7 ahead.

The second half was a slow burn, disrupted by a raft of substitutions by both sides, but Glasgow managed to plunder a fifth try just before the hour mark as Darge was shoved over from a lineout drive. Jordan’s conversion made it 29-7 and Smith’s men looked home and hosed.

They dropped off in the final 10 minutes, however. Matt Fagerson was yellow-carded for slapping the ball out of the visiting scrum-half’s hands and Glasgow went on to concede two late tries. Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, the Racing replacement prop, crossed from close range and then Tedder scored in the corner.

It took a little of the shine off but it was Glasgow’s night. Next stop, Twickenham Stoop.

Teams and scorers

Glasgow Warriors: Tries: Horne, Dobie, Cancelliere, Tuipulotu, Darge. Cons: Horne, Jordan.

Racing 92: Tries: Habosi, Mazibuko, Tedder. Cons: Tedder 2.

Yellow card: M Fagerson (Glasgow, 70min).

Glasgow Warriors: J McKay; S Cancelliere, H Jones, S Tuipulotu, K Steyn (D Weir 68); T Jordan, G Horne (J Dobie 15); R Sutherland (J Bhatti 54), J Matthews (G Hiddleston 54), Z Fagerson (S Talakai 54), G Brown, S Cummings (A Samuel 68), M Fagerson, R Darge (A Miller 77), J Mann (E Ferrie 54).

Racing 92: M Spring; V Habosi (D Idrissi 49), T Tedder, H Chavancy, H Arundell; A Gibert (D Lancaster 62), C le Bail (K Labarbe 68); L Julien (E Ben Arous 49), F Kaitu'u (D Escobar 49), L Sordoni (L-M Mazibuko 49), B Palu, J Kpoku (R Taofifenua 49), N Zinzen (H Dayimani 49), I Diallo, M Baudonne.

Referee: Karl Dickson (Eng).

Attendance: 7,216.