Super-sub Dan Carter played a game-changing cameo as Racing 92 beat Top 14 rivals Clermont 28-17 on Sunday to set up a European Champions Cup semi-final against Munster.
Carter replaced Virimi Vakatawa on the hour mark with strict instructions to speed the game up with ball in hand against a tiring Clermont side.
He did exactly that, the ex-All Black producing a defence-busting jink and pass to Marc Andreu that saw the winger in for a decisive try.
Clermont, who were hammered 49-0 by Toulon in the Top 14 last week, took an early lead through three Morgan Parra penalties.
Racing’s Fijian lock Leone Nakarawa scored the first try of a fiercely-contested game at a packed-out Marcel-Michelin stadium.
Marc Andreu ducked a tackle and weaved his way upfield before offloading to versatile hooker Camille Chat. The ball was quickly recycled to Nakawara, who saw a gaping hole open up in front of him for a jaunt in to the side of the posts.
Clermont responded immediately through Peter Betham, the Australian winger taking a long Parra pass and fending off Louis Dupichot for a try in the corner.
Maxime Machenaud kicked a penalty to drag Racing to within a point of the home team to leave the game finely poised at half-time.
The France scrum-half briefly took Racing into the lead with another penalty early in the second period before Parra restored Clermont’s hold.
Everything then changed in the space of a couple of minutes after the introduction of super-sub Carter.
