Montpellier ripped Racing apart to clinch an emphatic 60-7 victory, while Stade Français, Pau, Oyonnax, Grenoble and Clermont also won in the Top 14.

It was one-way traffic as Jake White’s team manhandled the log leaders to secure a nine-try win, which moved them into the top four.

Tries by Bismarck du Plessis, Jacques du Plessis, Frans Steyn and Timoci Nagusa pushed the hosts out to 27-0 lead at half-time despite having to play with 14 men for 10 minutes.

Montpellier ran riot in the second half, going on to score a further five tries, including a penalty try, to complete Racing’s humiliation. And although the team from Paris crossed for a converted try, it’s a result they’d like to forget.

Elsewhere, flank Willem Alberts scored a try for Stade Français in their 33-20 victory against La Rochelle; Colin Slade nailed six penalties to guide Pau to a narrow 21-16 triumph over Castres; Oyonnax escaped with a tight 30-28 win over Agen after flyhalf Burton Francis failed to land a last-gasp conversion which would have levelled the scores.

On Sunday, wing Gio Aplon crossed for one of two tries which led Grenoble to a tense 26-22 victory against Brive; and Clermont inflicted a 32-23 defeat on Toulouse, thanks to a brace by winger Alivereti Raka and a 22-point haul from scrumhalf Morgan Parra.

Round 18 results:

Montpellier 60 Racing 7
Stade Français 33 La Rochelle 20
Pau 21 Castres 16
Oyonnax 30 Agen 28
Grenoble 26 Brive 22
Clermont 32 Toulouse 23

Photo:  Alexandre Dimou/Getty Images