Challenge Cup, Round Six roundup
Bristol fall at final hurdle
The quarter-finals of the European Challenge Cup have been decided in the wake of Round Six – Gloucester will host Brive, London Irish will welcome Bayonne, Worcester will visit Northampton and Connacht will make the trip Newcastle.
CATANIA 28-24 CONNACHT
Connacht travelled to Italian club Amatori Catania on Friday needing five points, but returned with only two after the 28-24 loss.
The Irishmen were struggling at half-time at Santa Maria Goretti. Tries to winger Ted Robinson and backrower Colm Rigney gave them a handy lead, but the home side hit back through the boot of Barry Irving, who kicked two penalty goals and converted winger Mauro Commuzzi's try to give the home side a surprise 13-12 lead at the break.
The Italians went further ahead with another try to Commuzzi, but backrower Matt Lacey's five-pointer from a close-range lineout made it 20-19 on the hour mark.
Catania edged ahead with a third try, through backrower Alejandro Krancz, and Lacey's second effort was of no avail as Irving slotted a last-minute goal.
MONTPELLIER 21-31 WORCESTER
Johnny Tuamoheloa went from zero to hero as Worcester Warriors cemented their place in the European Challenge Cup quarter-finals.
Tuamoheloa was sin-binned at the end of the first half against Montpellier at Stade Sabathe as the home side took an 18-10 lead into the break, but scored a crucial try as the English club hit back to win the final Pool 5 match 31-21.
Montpellier led at the break through a penalty try and a five-pointer from full-back David Bortolussi, but the Warriors hit back in a bad-tempered second spell.
Tuamoheloa was the first man over, followed by centre Thomas Lombard and replacement backrower Saosi Vaili as Worcester secured their spot in the next round.
VIADANA P-P NORTHAMPTON
Northampton needed five points from their trip to Viadana to ensure quarter-final qualification, but "adverse weather conditions" at Stadio Luigi Zaffanella meant the Saints had to wait until Saturday to play the match. Officials held a pitch inspection at 8.30am on Saturday.
The pitch was still declared unfit to play on, and Viadana officially conceded the match to the Saints. An ERC panel on Saturday afternoon decided to award all five points to Northampton, who top Pool one as a result.
AGEN 33-17 OVERMACH PARMA
Agen comfortably beat Rugby Parma 33-17. They raced to a 26-10 lead at half-time against the Italian club, and were never in danger.
LONDON IRISH 75-12 PAU
London Irish ran in eleven tries in their thumping victory over lowly Pau, with winger Topsy Ojo bagging a hat-trick.
The Exiles were 56-0 ahead at the break, with Ojo's tries added to by scores from Paul Hodgson, Mike Catt, Michael Horak, Delon Armitage and Kieran Roche. All eight first-half tries were converted by Riki Flutey, who scored the opening try of the second half.
Nils Mordt, Adrian Flavin and Armitage added the other second-half tries as the Exiles took their foot off the gas, with Mordt converting two of them.
Pau scored two late tries through Clement Darbo and Jean-Marc Souverbie, with Lionel Beauxis converting one of them.
GLOUCESTER 32-19 BAYONNE
At Kingsholm, Gloucester secured a crucial top-two ranking in the quarter-finals with a workmanlike win over Bayonne.
Prop Gary Powell bagged a rare try double as the Cherry and Whites cruised to a 32-7 lead before letting in two late tries in front of an 8,000-strong crowd.
Front-rowers dominated the early scoring, with Powell rumbling over the try-line in the ninth minute, and young opposite number Aretz Iguiniz returning the favour moments later.
Bayonne's veteran Test centre Richard Dourthe was yellow-carded midway through the first half for a late tackle on Mercier, and Powell completed a memorable double as Dourthe cooled his heels.
Fullback Olly Morgan put the result beyond doubt with a clever five-pointer and England international Mike Tindall secured the bonus point with a try on the hour mark.
TOULON 17-23 BUCURESTI
Bucuresti secured an historic win in Europe with a 23-17 result at Toulon.
The teams were tied at 10-10 at halftime, but tries to centre Catalin Fercu and backrower Daniel Carpo sealed the victory.
REIVERS 39-23L'AQUILA
Barely 900 fans turned up to watch as Border Reivers ended their European campaign with an entertaining five-try victory over Italian minnows L'Aquila.
The Italians opened the scoring with an Alberto di Bernardo penalty goal, but were reeling after the Reivers ran in three quick-fire tries. Stuart Moffat, Calum MacRae and Nikki Walker all crossed, but L'Aquila stemmed the flow through centre Nicolas Canavasio and Test prop Andrea Lo Cicero and Reivers had a game on their hands with a 22-15 lead at halftime.
Young fly-half James King and replacement Charlie Hore edged the home side further ahead with goals at regular intervals, and Reivers sealed the win with late tries to props Paul Thomson and Geoff Cross.
BRIVE 17-24 NEWCASTLE FALCONS
Prop Micky Ward popped up on the wing to score the match-sealing try for Newcastle in a hard-fought European Challenge Cup match at Parc Municipal de Brive.
The Falcons finished the pool stages unbeaten, but had to dig deep against a tough French outfit who went all out to make the quarter-finals of the competition.
The boot of Australian veteran Matt Burke kept the Falcons in the match in the opening spell, with his four penalty goals cancelling out a try to Brive's Test centre Ludovic Valbon.
Brive fought back in the third quarter, but late tries to winger James Hoyle and Ward clinched the win and a home quarter-final.
BRISTOL 18-29 NARBONNE
Bristol's Challenge Cup campaign ended with a 29-18 defeat at home by French side Narbonne on Sunday.
The result means Connacht will go through to the last eight as one of the best runners-up and will travel to Newcastle to face the Falcons.
Bristol had to win to reach the last eight but despite leading twice their weakened side was not up to the task against Narbonne.
Wing Sean Marsden gave Bristol the perfect start with an interception try in the eighth minute before Tommy Hayes extended that lead with a conversion and two penalties.
But Christophe Ruiz hit back for Narbonne with a converted try before combining with Frederic Lartigue to send Julien Pathe over five minutes later.
Marsden again gave Bristol hope when he finished off a blistering attack on 58 minutes, but English lock Andrew Springgay replied for Narbonne six minutes later. Julien Candelon crossed in the final minute to bag a bonus point for Narbonne.
QUARTER-FINAL DRAW:
The quarter-finals of the European Challenge Cup have been decided in the wake Round Six – Gloucester will host Brive, London Irish will welcome Bayonne, Worcester will visit Northampton and Connacht will make the trip Newcastle.
Gloucester v Brive
Newcastle Falcons v Connacht
London Irish v Bayonne
Northampton Saints v Worcester Warriors
The matches will be played on the weekend of March 31.
