Connacht 20 Montpellier 10:Connacht guaranteed themselves a quarter-final spot in the Amlin Challenge Cup after they overcame Montpellier tonight. Having moved six points clear in Pool Two, Michael Bradley's side booked a place in the last eight with a game to spare.
Only two points separated the teams in Pool Two before the tie but the province maintained their unbeaten record thanks to second-half tries from Liam Bibo and Fionn Carr.
A brace of penalties from the boot of outhalf Ian Keatley handed Connacht a 6-3 lead at half-time.
But Bibo burst through after 57 minutes before wing Carr followed nine minutes later to settle the tie. Keatley converted both before Mamuka Gorgodze touched down in the final minute for the French team.
However, their failure to gain a losing bonus point meant Connacht cannot now be passed for top spot in the group.
Connacht travel to Madrid next week bidding to clinch top seeding and with it a guaranteed home draw in the last eight.
Elsewhere, Castres fly-half Thomas Bouquie scored one of his team’s seven tries in an easy 47-0 victory over Roma at Stade Jean Pierre-Antoine.
Bouquie added six conversions to finish with 17 points though Castres cannot catch Saracens to qualify from Pool Three.
Newcastle Falcons have one foot in the quarter-finals after a 16-14 come-from-behind win at Albi.
Jimmy Gopperth completed the Falcons’ impressive second-half comeback by converting Josh Afu’s try seven minutes from time to snatch a crucial away victory at Stade Municipal.
The result stretches Newcastle’s lead at the top of Pool Five to seven points over Montauban, who play tomorrow, before the final group matches next week.
Newcastle know victory over Italian minnows Petrarca at Kingston Park next weekend will guarantee their place in the last eight of the Challenge Cup for the fifth year in a row.
Connacht:Nathan, Bibo, Ta'auso, Matthews, Carr, Keatley, F. Murphy, Wilkinson, Cronin, Morris, Swift, Upton, McCarthy, Ofisa, Muldoon. Replacements:Wynne for Matthews (72), Nikora for Keatley (72), O'Loughlin for F. Murphy (63), Loughney for Wilkinson (69), Hagan for Morris (41), Naoupu for Upton (69).
Tries:Bibo, Carr. Cons:Keatley 2. Pens:Keatley 2.
Montpellier:Alcalde, Thiery, Smith, Rees, Brana, Schutte, A. Tomas, van Staden, Caudullo, Douglas, Macurdy, Gorgodze, Bost, Chkhaidze, Giraud. Replacements:Castell for A. Tomas (70), Leleimalefaga for Douglas (63).
Tries:Gorgodze. Cons:Castell. Pens:A. Tomas.
Sin Bin:Chkhaidze (44), Smith (74).
Att:2,000
Ref:Peter Allan (SRFU).