Teddy Thomas inspires Racing 92 past Munster and into Champions Cup final

Three early tries, two scored by Teddy Thomas and one more manufactured for Maxime Machenaud by another fabulous run from the athletic France wing, sent Racing 92 into the Champions Cup final at the expense of Munster.

The Irish province did fight back with three tries of their own in the dying stages, but a 27-22 win did not flatter the victors at all.

5:23PM

Farewell

 Zebo is joining Ryan at Racing as of next season.

5:22PM

Donnacha Ryan

5:16PM

Full-time | Racing 92 27-22 Munster

Racing are off to Bilbao, and it's hard to argue that they don't deserve it on the back of a first half that blew away Munster.

5:12PM

Try, Andrew Conway! Racing 92 27-22 Munster, 80 minutes

That's an admirable show of guts from Munster. Zebo dinks through and Conway follows up to score after controlling on his toe. 

5:10PM

Racing 92 27-15 Munster, 78 minutes 

Eddy Ben Arous wins a turnover. Racing's loosehead prop has been superb.

5:07PM

Racing 92 27-15 Munster, 78 minutes

Munster attack from deep, force an offside penalty and kick to within five metres. Surely not.

5:06PM

Try, Rhys Marshall! Racing 92 27-15 Munster, 76 minutes

Marshall fights through a scrappy maul and Hanrahan converts from the touchline. It'll be too late but Munster will want one more flourish.

5:03PM

Racing 92 27-8 Munster, 74 minutes  

Six minutes to go and Munster have a scrum on halfway...they've won a penalty.

5:03PM

Double agent

The ex-Munster lock has been superb.

5:02PM

Racing 92 27-8 Munster, 70 minutes 

A long fractured period means this game is dying out, and with it Munster's hopes of making it an all-Irish final. Then again, here comes Robin Copeland.

4:55PM

Racing 92 27-8 Munster, 65 minutes

Munster are unlucky there. Conor Murray beats about six Racing players before flinging the ball towards Munster's left touchline where James Cronin carts over halfway.

Munster come back to the right but play is called back for a forward pass from Simon Zebo.

4:53PM

Try, Simon Zebo! Racing 92 27-8 Munster, 64 minutes

Finally. Munster give the ball some width and Zebo wriggles over.

 JJ Hanrahan's conversion attempt fades across the face of the posts...but Munster are off again from the restart!

4:50PM

Yellow card, Marc Andreu! 

Racing are down to 14. Their left wing takes the fall for a flurry of team offences.

4:48PM

Racing 92 27-3 Munster, 61 minutes

Racing have defended brilliantly. They halt a concerted period of pressure from Munster, ending by holding up O'Mahony over the line. Munster have another scrum five metres out.

4:46PM

Racing 92 27-3 Munster, 59 minutes    

Rory Scannell is the catalyst for Munster this time. He snakes a kick through for Earls to chase and Racing have to slice it into touch. Munster lose the lineout...

 ...but get a scrum as Racing carry the ball over their try-line.

4:39PM

Racing 92 27-3 Munster, 54 minutes   

Racing muscle a maul penalty and Machenaud hits the cross-bar. Here comes Dan Carter. He's on to guide Racing home.

4:33PM

Racing 92 27-3 Munster, 50 minutes  

Maxime Machenaud clamps on to win a penalty. That's a gut-wrencher for Munster.

4:32PM

Match action

Sam Arnold is shackled by a flying Virimi Vakatawa.

4:30PM

Racing 92 27-3 Munster, 47 minutes 

Munster think they've scored as replacement hooker Rhys Marshall scampers in but referee Doyle calls a scrum as he blocked Racing's tackler. 

4:27PM

Racing 92 27-3 Munster, 46 minutes

Munster win a penalty after Racing are caught offside again. They're in the 22 with a lineout...and they secure it this time.

4:24PM

Penalty, Maxime Machenaud! Racing 92 27-3 Munster, 43 minutes

Machenaud kicks the penalty. 

Munster switch their entire front row and also trade Alex Wootton, who endured a tough half at the hands of Teddy Thomas, for Simon Zebo.

4:22PM

Flash point

Marc Andreu grubbers through and tries to grab the ball. Conor Murray doesn't let him...and then flips the wing onto his back.

 Racing get a penalty for that.

4:19PM

Second half

We're off again. Munster gather the restart through Jack O'Donoghue and Murray clears but Racing are straight back into their phase-play...

4:03PM

Half-time | Racing 92 24-3 Munster

Munster get one more chance before the break and they are far too predictable. Murray simply passes to Rory Scannell, who is floored and then swarmed all over. Racing win the penalty and end the half. They've been dominant.

3:57PM

Racing 92 24-3 Munster, 37 minutes   

3:56PM

Racing 92 24-3 Munster, 34 minutes  

Munster's scrum is a mess and they lose plenty of ground but a scampering run from Arnold hauls them onto the front foot. They win a penalty but the throw is disrupted again. Lambie clears.

3:53PM

Racing 92 24-3 Munster, 32 minutes 

Munster overthrow another lineout in a good position but they regather and win another penalty as Racing creep offside - it was Nakarawa again.

They call for a scrum. Huge moment.

3:51PM

Gulp

3:50PM

Racing 92 24-3 Munster, 31 minutes

Munster's scrum powers another penalty and they go to touch...but Racing steal. Yannick Nyanga is up to nab the ball.

3:48PM

Racing 92 24-3 Munster, 28 minutes

Munster get through a few phases with little penetration. Sam Arnold then attempts to wing the ball over the top to Keith Earls but the pass drifts well forward.

3:46PM

Penalty, Maxime Machenaud! Racing 92 24-3 Munster, 25 minutes

Racing's maul muscles a penalty and Machenaud does the rest. What have you got, Munster?

3:44PM

Try, Maxime Machenaud! Racing 92 21-3 Munster, 23 minutes

Oh wow. Teddy Thomas is on fire. Racing's forwards are out-muscling Munster.

They work the ball to Thomas inside the 22 and the wing dances past four tacklers and runs around under the posts...but then passes to Machenaud in the dead-ball area.

 Machenaud dots down and then converts. This is getting messy. 

3:38PM

Try, Teddy Thomas! Racing 92 14-3 Munster, 18 minutes

This one is all about Virimi Vakatawa. He darts back off his right foot to beat Conor Murray and fends off Jean Kleyn brilliantly. Thomas follows up to skate home...and Machenaud adds the extras.

3:35PM

Penalty, Ian Keatley! Racing 92 7-3 Munster, 16 minutes

Leone Nakarawa creeps offside and Keatley kicks a settling penalty.

 They really, really needed that.

3:33PM

Match action

Thomas touches down...

3:31PM

Racing 92 7-0 Munster, 13 minutes

Two missed drop-goals from Munster. First Keatley is charged-down and then Rory Scannell sends his attempt wide.

3:30PM

Racing 92 7-0 Munster, 12 minutes

Munster wake up. Wootton gathers a Pat Lambie cross-kick and feeds Conway, who links well with Arnold. Keatley slices into a half-break.

Thomas almost nabs an interception but Stephen Archer muscles a penalty and Munster go to the corner...

3:26PM

Racing 92 7-0 Munster, 8 minutes

It's a poor start from Munster, unfortunately. Andrew Conway takes the ball at full-back under very little pressure but he is shepherded into touch all too easily.

Then CJ Stander wins a breakdown penalty...but Keatley fails to find touch.

3:24PM

Try, Teddy Thomas! Racing 92 7-0 Munster, 5 minutes

The Top 14 side are ahead! Following a series of punchy, powerful carries, the ball is spread to Thomas and the wing wriggles outside Alex Wootton to score. 

Machenaud nails the conversion as well.

3:20PM

Racing 92 0-0 Munster, 3 minutes

Cagey opening. Sam Arnold is penalised for failing to roll away. The centre indicates that he feels he was held in...but Racing go to touch. Great kick. They feed a lineout five metres out...but Camille Chat overthrows!

3:17PM

Kick-off

We're underway! Fields of Athenry echoes around the ground. Wow. What an atmosphere.

We're off. Ian Keatley kicks long and Yannick Nyanga takes. Maxime Machenaud goes to touch after a couple of phases.

3:14PM

Players out

The tunnel at this ground is very, very long. Here come Munster, led by O'Mahony.

3:06PM

Atmosphere building

These guys want an all-Irish final. Ten minutes to go.

2:58PM

Peter O'Mahony

The Munster skipper has been chatting to BT Sport pundit Ugo Monye.

2:55PM

Man in the middle

The referee today is JP Doyle, an RFU official who plies his trade in the Premiership.

2:46PM

Half an hour to kick-off

2:39PM

Sir Ian McGeechan on Dan Carter

Read the full column here.

2:28PM

Reminder of the teams

Dan Carter and Joe Rokocoko are on the bench for Racing, which tells you just about all you need to know about the strength of their 23.

Munster keep Simon Zebo among the replacements. They are well stocked too.

2:24PM

Weather update

Mercifully for Munster players (and supporters), it's slightly cooler than expected.

2:22PM

Sunday semi

Hi there, and welcome to our live text commentary of the second Champions Cup semi-final between Racing 92 and Munster in Bordeaux. This should be a gripping game at a ground, Stade Chaban-Delmas, that is bathed in sunshine.

 Here are a few statistics to get you in the mood.

• The clubs have met six times previously with Munster winning four matches (losing two). They clashed earlier this season in the pool stage, with the home side on the day winning each encounter.

• Munster are participating in their 13th European Cup semi-final, no other club has played in more than 10; seven of their previous 12 matches have been against TOP 14 opposition. Munster have progressed from just four of their 12 semi-finals, losing their last five in a row.

• Racing 92, meanwhile, have reached this stage for just the second time, they defeated Leicester Tigers 19-16 in their only previous semi-final in 2016.

• Munster have lost just one of their last nine games against Top 14 opposition (W7, D1), and the defeat to Racing in round five this season is the only blemish in that run.

• Munster have averaged the fewest passes (108) but most kicks from hand (29) per game in the competition this season.

• The two sides have conceded fewer tries than any other team in this season’s tournament - Munster have conceded just nine and Racing 11. Peter O’Mahony has won 43 lineouts (including 5 steals), more than any other player in the competition.

• The only two players to make 100+ carries this season will feature on Sunday - CJ Stander (105) and Leone Nakarawa (104).

• Nakarawa has also made the most offloads (19) of any player and beaten the most defenders (22) of any forward.