8 January 2010: USAP score five in 31-12 rout as brave Racing run out of steam

Perpignan scored five tries to win their first game in five outings 31-12 against a Racing-Metro side that have undoubtedly come back down to earth after their nine-match winning streak ended last weekend. A rout looked unlikely after the Catalans were up against a dominant Paris back for most of the first half, but USAP were on top through the second period and easily handed the visitors their heaviest defeat of the season. Latest league table

Racing, still smarting from their home loss to Bourgoin, came out firing, Chabal making an early charge at the Catalan line and Jonathan Wisniewski opening the scoring with a 40-metre penalty that was helped over by the prevailing wind.

The Parisians looked a good bet for the first try until Perpignan turned over ball in their own half and edged downfield until they won a penalty. From the resulting five-metre lineout, scrum half Nicolas Durand nipped round the blindside and skipped in to establish a 5-3 lead.

Despite this setback, Racing remained the stronger team, and a period of forward pressure gave Wisniewski a drop goal chance from 30 metres, which he gladly took. It was 9-5 on 28 minutes, Racing's powerful pack winning a penalty which the outside-half kicked from the same distance.

Determined to take the lead before half-time, Perpignan's forwards set up camp on the Racing line and one strong shove over the line appeared to produce the points but the ball was deemed to have been by referee Monsieur Gauzere. USAP kept the pressure on but the defenders repelled their series of pick and goes until, with the clock running down, Durand spun the ball out right. A try looked a certainty until Steve Meyer's scoring pass to Adrien Planté was a yard in front of the winger and the ball bounced into touch for the last play of the half.

The second half started at the first had ended, with Perpignan laying seige to the Parisians' tryline. The visitors' defence held firm, but on 45 minutes, Durand was held up on the line, and from the resulting scrum and maul, Gavin Hume emerged on the other side of the defence and trotted over for a try that Porical converted.

Within 10 minutes USAP had a bonus point on the board, their pack, now totally in command, shoving the visitors back over their own line and grounding the ball for a try claimed by replacement prop Benoit Bourroust. Porical converted for a 19-9 scoreline.

From the restart, Chabal appeared to have put winger Mani Vakaola free on the touchline, but the Tongan put a foot in touch. Centre Francois Steyn then burst through the USAP defence only to be brought down a yard from the line, the forwards taking the ball on but only managing to win a penalty which Wisniewski converted.

Racing were determined to run themselves back into the game, and a 50 metre dash by Steyn warmed the few visiting supporters at a chilly Aimé-Giral, but it came to nothing and Perpignan were soon given a chance to restore the 10-point lead when Lionel Nallet high-tackled Mayer, only for Porical's 40-metre penalty to go wide.

The early pace of the match start to tell as both sides made unforced errors, Hume dropping the ball to end a promising attack before Wisniewski knocked on just yards from his own points. USAP failed to capitalise on the position, but from a scrum 30 metres out, began a move which resulted in their fourth try. Prop Marius Tincu charged into defender Francois Steyn, and although Cazanade's pass from the ruck scuttled along the ground, it also caught the Racing defence by surprise. Hume picked up, passed two defenders and fed to lock Olivier Olibeau, who neatly sidestepped the last man to score.

Porical converted to make it 26-12, which was the cue for Racing to try and pull back a bonus point. A superbly timed short pass from Steyn appeared to have put Massi through to score, but he was pulled down three metres out and although the Parisians called for scrum after scrum when the Catalans were penalised, they couldn't make it across the line and their chance of a bonus point was gone.

It was certainly all over when USAP made it five tries a minute from time. Racing lost the ball in their own half, David Mélé gathered the loose ball and began an attack that eventually found its way to the left wing. Porical survived an ankle tap from lock Santiago Dellape to draw Wisniewski's tackle and flip a pass to Farid Sid, who squeezed over in the corner. The full back missed the conversion but the 31-12 scoreline marks a stunning return to form for Perpignan.