Leicester’s slim hopes of reaching the knockout stages were ruthlessly ended with a crushing 34-3 defeat by last season’s runners-up, Racing 92. Marc Andreu scored two of five tries for Racing, who stay bottom of Pool 1, with a Freddie Burns penalty all the Tigers could muster.

Northampton continued their recent improved form with a narrow 28-21 win over Castres in an entertaining European Champions Cup game at Franklin’s Gardens. The win avenged a 41-7 defeat at the Stade Pierre Antoine back in October but it was not enough for Saints to have any realistic chance of progressing from Pool 4 as they remained bottom of the standings.

It was the Saints’ fourth consecutive victory, with the England forwards Courtney Lawes, Tom Wood and Teimana Harrison all performing impressively, but they suffered a blow when the prop Kieran Brookes was a late withdrew before kick-off with a back spasm.

Harrison was the star performer with two tries. Wood and Stephen Myler scored one apiece with Myler converting all four. Alexandre Bias and Julien Dumora scored tries for Castres with Rory Kockott adding three penalties and a conversion.

Connacht remain on course for a place in the last eight after a 66-21 bonus-point win over Zebre. Matt Healy, Tiernan O’Halloran and Kieran Marmion all crossed twice, with John Cooney, Finlay Bealham, Craig Ronaldson and Coalin Blade adding to the Italians’ woe. Johannes Meyer, Federico Ruzza and Mattia Bellini scored the visitors’ consolation tries.

The Irish province scored 10 tries to go top of Pool 2 before they play Toulouse next Sunday.