Leicester beat Racing; Wasps held

A review of Sunday's action in the European Champions Cup, as Leicester beat Racing 92 and Wasps drew at Toulouse.

Leicester kick-started their European Champions Cup campaign and continued an impressive Welford Road record against French opposition by beating last season's runners-up Racing 92.

The Tigers knew they had to roar following a 42-13 drubbing by Pool One rivals Glasgow nine days ago - or face having their quarter-final hopes hanging by a thread.

And even though it was far from pretty, they delivered after flanker Brendon O'Connor scored an early try, before two Owen Williams penalties and then 16 points from second-half substitute Freddie Burns saw Leicester home 27-17.

Burns booted three penalties, then he claimed a 70-metre interception try after collecting Maxime Machenaud's pass to Chris Masoe, before converting the clincher as Leicester avenged a Champions Cup semi-final loss to Racing six months ago.

New Zealand superstar Dan Carter scored 12 of Racing's points through a try, two conversions and a penalty, while wing Juan Imhoff touched down five minutes from time, yet the reigning Top 14 champions never got going as Leicester made it 15 games unbeaten against French opponents at Welford Road since Biarritz beat them in January 2005.

Nathan Hughes scored a dramatic last-gasp try with less than two minutes remaining as Wasps picked up a deserved 20-20 draw at Pool Two opponents Toulouse.

The Premiership side have never won a European match at Stade Ernest Wallon and Jimmy Gopperth held his nerve to convert number eight Hughes' score and ensure Wasps came away with something this time round.

Joshua Bassett scored Wasps' other try while Census Johnston and Gael Fickou both crossed for Toulouse during the second half.

Stacey Ili scored a hat-trick of tries on his first start for Connacht as they swept 14-man Zebre aside in a 52-7 win in Parma.

Early tries from New Zealander Ili and Jack Carty had Pat Lam's men leading 14-0 at half-time, with Zebre losing hooker Oliviero Fabiani to a 29th-minute red card for an apparent bite.

The floodgates opened up after Ili's second score and Tommy Castello's yellow card, a 51st minute penalty try quickly followed by scores from Cian Kelleher and Conor Carey.

Tommaso D'Apice got Zebre off the mark but back-three talents Kelleher and Ili took Connacht's try haul to eight late on, with the result seeing the Irish province climb above their next opponents Wasps at the top of Pool 2.

Isa Nacewa rescued a late losing bonus point for Leinster which kept them top of Pool Four following a 22-16 defeat to Montpellier at the Altrad Stradium.

Nacewa converted his own 79th-minute try to leave Leo Cullen's men a point clear of Castres and Montpellier in the table, ahead of their December double-header against Northampton.

Leinster are now winless in their last six European trips, with Sunday's result leaving the four teams in the pool with one victory each after the opening two rounds.