French club

La Rochelle - France's minor premiers last season - celebrated a 16-9 home win over Racing 92 in a seventh round match on Sunday.

Carter has not played for three weeks and his absence prompted L'Equipe newspaper rugby writer Richard Escot to speculate that Racing were "undoubtedly preserving" Carter and former Springbok Patrick Lambie for upcoming European Cup matches against the Leicester Tigers and Irish province Munster.

Maxime Machenaud, who replaced Carter at first five-eighths, scored all Racing's points with three penalties to ensure a defensive bonus point.

The club announced on Thursday that they had signed the four-test All Black to a two-year deal, beginning in the French 2017/18 season.

Elliot joins a number of Chiefs heading overseas after this season, with halfback Tawera Kerr-Barlow (Toulon), first five-eighth Aaron Cruden (Montpellier) and wing James Lowe (Leinster) also taking their talents abroad.

The 31-year-old has been the Chiefs' starting hooker this season, however, with Nathan Harris' return not far off he might find himself moving to a bench role.