Defending champions La Rochelle took top seed in Pool B of the Champions Cup as they knocked Northampton Saints out the competition with a 31-13 victory at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens on Saturday.
Ronan O’Gara’s men notched five tries in the contest, Quentin Lespiaucq scoring two in addition to solo efforts from Levani Botia, Grégory Alldritt and UJ Seuteni.
Edinburgh held on for victory over Saracens at the DAM Health Stadium, as both teams ended up with home times in the round of 16.
David Cherry and Pierre Schoeman both crossed for the hosts, with Blair Kinghorn putting up 10 points from the tee.
Saracens’ solitary score came courtesy of Ben Earl, with Alex Goode kicking three penalties. The visitors were hampered by ill-discipline, receiving three yellow cards over the course of the evening.
London Irish’s hopes of reaching the EPCR Challenge Cup last 16 went up in smoke after Montpellier completed an incredible comeback to draw 21-21 at GGL Stadium on Sunday.
London Irish were 21 points up with 48 minutes played, but Montpellier, already assured of a round of 16 berth, grew into the game in the second half and got over through Thomas Darmon, Vincent Giudicelli and Cobus Reinach to level the scores.
Exeter Chiefs earned a home tie for the last 16 after an emphatic 40-3 mauling of Castres Olympique at Sandy Park on Saturday. Chiefs finish second in Pool A thanks to tries from Henry Slade, Sam Simmonds, Jack Nowell and Chris Tshiunza, with the hosts also awarded a pair of penalty tries.
DHL Stormers also booked a home tie as they grinded out a 30-16 win over ASM Clermont Auvergne in Cape Town on Saturday. Stormers took control of the game with four tries in 16 second-half minutes, Evan Roos, Herschel Jantjies, Daniel du Plessis and Deon Fourie all going over.
Gloucester hooker George McGuigan was the hero as he dotted down twice in a 26-17 win over Union Bordeaux-Bègles on Saturday to earn a place in the last 16. McGuigan powered over on the back of two well-worked lineouts, while No. 8 Albert Tuisue also crossed the whitewash in an exceptional performance away from home.
Harlequins secured their place in the last 16 as they defeated Cell C Sharks 39-29 at Twickenham Stoop on Saturday. Quins notched a bonus-point win in the crucial contest as Danny Care, Alex Dombrandt, Cadan Murley, Stephan Lewies and Nick David all crossed, with Marcus Smith adding 14 points from the tee.
At a snowy Matmut Stadium de Gerland on Friday, Lyon produced a superb performance to defeat a tired-looking Vodacom Bulls 31-7 and but will fall just short of qualification. Last year’s EPCR Challenge Cup winners earned themselves a bonus-point win, with two tries from Guillaume Marchand, a wonderful score by Jean-Marc Doussain and another by Leo Berdeu, who also kicked 11 points.
Ospreys qualified for the last 16 as an 88th minute Jac Morgan score, converted by Owen Williams, handed them a 27-26 win at Leicester Tigers on Friday. Despite around a quarter of an hour of committed defence metres from their own line, Leicester eventually succumbed on 89 minutes as Morgan did enough to convince the TMO he had the ball grounded in a dramatic finish.
