CONNACHT ARE OUT of the Champions Cup, with the western province’s drop to the Challenge Cup confirmed after Saracens’ win over Lyon tonight.
Three-time winners Sarries reached the last 16 by beating already-qualified Lyon 29-24 despite trailing by 12 points at half time.
Saracens’ England captain Owen Farrell, who is taking a break from Test rugby during the upcoming Six Nations, became the Champions Cup’s second highest points scorer on 874, leapfrogging ex-Wales fly-half Stephen Jones.
He is now behind only former Ireland stand-off Ronan O’Gara on 1,365 points.
Connacht earned an impressive bonus-point victory over Bristol last night, but ultimately it wasn’t enough to keep them in Champions Cup contention.
Pete Wilkins’ side now join Ulster in the Challenge Cup, with Leinster and Ulster advancing in the top-flight.
Elsewhere, South Africa’s double Rugby World Cup-winning captain Siya Kolisi said Racing 92 are “100%” committed to the Champions Cup after scoring his first try for the club in a 48-26 victory over Cardiff which secured a place in the last 16.
The Parisians moved above Ulster to fourth in Pool 2, after the northern province were hammered 47-19 by Harlequins earlier in the day, claiming a spot in the next round to be held in April.
Flanker Kolisi, 32, who joined Racing after lifting a second World Cup last October, crossed during the first half on his eighth club appearance and was among seven try-scorers for the French side, three-time Champions Cup runners-up.
“We haven’t had a good competition, we’ve lost some games we could have won but today held our own,” Kolisi told BeIn Sport after their first win in four Champions Cup matches this season.
“We are 100% in the Champions Cup, even though things didn’t go our way we knew it was in our hands today, so we gave it everything,” he added after finishing the win as Racing captain.
A youthful Cardiff surprisingly led 7-3 after just 10 minutes as Wales prop Rhys Carre crashed over before Racing took control of the tie.
No 8 Kitione Kamikamica went over in the corner before scrum-half Nolann Le Garrec, included in France’s Six Nations squad, set-up Kolisi five metres out for the try.
Back-rower Kolisi then turned the provider setting-up centre Inia Tabuavou before Wales scrum-half Tomos Williams cut the deficit and the hosts led 20-12 at the break.
Victory was clinched with half-an-hour to play as Kolisi’s compatriot, full-back Tristan Tedder and wingers Christian Wade and Juan Imhoff scored to make it 41-12.
Despite having less than a quarter of Racing’s budget this season, Cardiff refused to go out of the competition with a whimper as half-back Williams claimed his second try with 15 minutes to play.
Fly-half Tinus De Beer then broke free to clinch a deserved bonus point for the Welsh club with nine minutes remaining before replacement hooker Jannick Tarrit made sure of the rout for the home side with a late try.
Sunday’s highlight is holders La Rochelle’s trip to Sale.
The French club, coached by ROG, need a win to guarantee their progress.
Record five-time winners Toulouse play Bath at a sold-out Stade Ernest-Wallon in a clash between two teams who have already made the last 16.
