European Cup Round-up: Injury-ravaged Newcastle joined Leinster and Munster in the quarter-finals of the European Cup for the first time yesterday when they edged Newport-Gwent Dragons 25-17 to finish top of Pool Five.
France's Perpignan failed to join them, however, after they were beaten 40-17 by Edinburgh, the Scottish side's first win of the competition.
That result meant Leicester scraped through in the final slot for the best runners-up following their 62-10 thrashing of Calvisano in Italy on Saturday.
Also yesterday, Stade Francais emphatically secured top spot in Pool Six by thumping Gloucester 27-0, the English side's first home defeat in the competition.
Also through to the last eight are Biarritz, who ousted holders Wasps on Saturday. They are joined by Trevor Brennan's Toulouse and Northampton.
Newcastle needed victory over the Dragons to guarantee progress but after suffering a terrible run of injuries, notably to England outhalf Jonny Wilkinson, they approached the game in a nervous frame of mind and with Jonny's brother Mark filling in at number 10.
They started well, though, and tries by flanker Colin Charvis and winger Tom May edged them ahead 13-5 at half-time.
The Welsh visitors closed the gap in a tense second half but Australian full back Matt Burke, who also kicked four goals, settled the issue with a great try three minutes from time.
Newcastle will visit Paris to play Stade Francais in the last eight after the French champions poured cold water on Gloucester's hopes.
Gloucester had needed a huge win to overhaul Stade but instead found themselves trailing 27-0 at half-time as Mauro Bergamasco, Stephane Glas and Christophe Dominici all scored. There was no further scoring after the break.
Edinburgh turned on the power in the second half to overwhelm Perpignan, who had needed a bonus point win to go through.
Edinburgh's success enabled Leicester to scrape through, having finished second in Pool One on 19 points. The English Premiership leaders scored 10 tries in Italy, led by a Geordan Murphy hat-trick.
Wasps travelled to France on Saturday knowing a bonus point victory could send them through but the English and European champions were never able to break clear after reaching half-time level at 8-8.
In the second half Biarritz dominated up front, just as they had when beating Leicester last week, and surged clear with a try by Jimmy Marlu and the boot of Dimitri Yachvili.
Biarritz will host Munster in the quarter-finals.
Castres missed their chance of qualification when they lost 20-11 to the Neath-Swansea Ospreys. A bonus point win would have sent the French team through as a runner-up.
The first of those back-door berths was claimed by Northampton on Friday when they beat Glasgow 33-23 in Pool Three. Their reward is a third meeting with Toulouse.
