Former Heineken Cup Champions Leinster secured an all important home quarter-final with a comprehensive 36 v 11 victory over Racing Metro.

Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll wrapped up the emphatic victory with the final try on his 32nd birthday and Jonathan Sexton also crossed twice in an impressive 21-point haul after Isa Nacewa and man of the match Sean O’Brien had also touched down to take maximum points.

Juan-Martin Hernandez kicked Racing ahead at Stade Yves du Manoir before Nacewa showed his attacking threat, squeezing in for the game’s opening try after Brian O’Driscoll and Shane Horgan combined to open the door.

Hernandez almost struck an immediate response with a drop goal, but Leinster were again caught napping from the re-start and centre Vakatawa sent a stream of blue jerseys sprawling to put Racing ahead 8-7 on 16 minutes.

Leinster were under the cosh but seized the tie with two tries in the space of four minutes.

Sexton then followed moments later from Nacewa’s clever break and the fly-half added the conversion to lead 21-8 on 23 minutes.

Argentina star Hernandez offered the French a glimmer of hope with a penalty before half time, only to hobble half shortly after Sexton struck a penalty early in the second-half.

Racing through on their big guns and the game soon got physical, Leinster skipper Leo Cullen warned for scrapping on the ground.

But Nacewa and Fergus McFadden sparked a lightning counter-attack, finished with ease by Sexton to clinch the bonus.

O’Brien then used his power to drive at the heart of the French defence before finding O’Driscoll’s perfectly angled run for Leinster’s fifth.