Fly-half Johnny Sexton returned to Top 14 duty after Ireland's Six Nations triumph last weekend and lifted Racing Metro to a 12-6 win at Bayonne on Friday.
On a wet and windy evening in southwest France, Sexton kicked six points as the Paris-based club warmed up for their first ever European Cup quarter-final appearance next week against Saracens.
The win moves Racing up to third, six points behind leaders Toulon and Clermont, but provisionally ahead of Stade Francais, who also have 55 points.
Leaders Toulon host Toulouse and Stade Francais host Clermont on Saturday.
"It was a very good evening because we wanted to get our heads back in place after our last outing at Brive (36-12 loss)," said Racing coach Laurent Labit.
"We can now turn towards what's awaiting us next week in the European Cup -- an historic match for the club.
"We knew it would be difficult, it wasn't the match of the season but we did what we needed and it's very satisfying to achieve our fourth away victory."
Bayonne, sitting 10th, had gained some breathing space following their last-gasp victory over Castres last weekend, but missed a chance to pull away from fellow strugglers Brive and La Rochelle who travel to Oyonnax and Bordeaux respectively on Saturday.
Racing arrived with ambition after losing to Brive last weekend and strengthened by the return of Sexton and Wales scrum-half Mike Phillips.
The visitors led 6-3 at half time thanks to two penalties off Sexton's boot on 7 and 28 minutes, although Argentine full-back Buston Moyano pulled one back for Bayonne after 33 minutes.
Racing lacked efficiency on their return from the locker room and failed to take advantage of their numerical advantage after Bayonne back Scott Spedding was sinbinned.
Moyano kicked a 65-minute penalty to pull Bayonne level, but the hero of the Castres game, missed another penalty nine minutes later with Maxime Machenaud sealing victory for Racing with two penalty kicks on 72 and 79 minutes.
Source: AFP