RUGBY:IN POOL Four Bath defeated Aironi 55-16. Fairly irrelevant and an eight-try demolition that indicates the Italians are not capable of a second giant-killing exercise (they already shocked Biarritz) at home to Ulster next Saturday afternoon (kick-off 1.30pm).

The long wait for qualification, dating back to 1999, looks to be firmly within Ulster’s control.

Pool Five saw Benetton Treviso lose to Perpignan 9-44. Having lost this fixture 9-8 last season Perpignan were never going to be caught a second time and gathered a vital bonus, especially considering they may need another five points at home to the Scarlets this Sunday.

In the same pool Scarlets lost 18-32 to the Leicester Tigers. The Tigers may rue their failure to claim a fourth try as presuming they get a bonus against Treviso and Perpignan do likewise at home to the Scarlets then the French will top the group as they have the better head-to-head record against Leicester.

The Scarlets will travel with a shred of hope as they are only two points adrift of the Tigers and Perpignan in the tightest of Pools.

Meanwhile, in Pool Six Toulouse easily defeated Dragons 17-3. Surprisingly the champions were unable to secure a bonus point at home against the weakest Welsh franchise.

The biggest compliment that can be paid to the Dragons is Toulouse were forced to go to their maul to deny them an away bonus point, with Thierry Dusautoir claiming his second try late on.

And a late drop goal from Glasgow’s Ruaridh Jackson put Toulouse into the quarter-finals as it denied Wasps a bonus point that makes next weekend’s game against Toulouse at Adams Park less relevant now.

Granted, the Firhill surface was in tatters but Wasps don’t deserve to qualify after ruining a commanding 10-3 lead. Glasgow won 20-10.