Irish eyes are smiling in Europe as Leinster lash Montpellier

Montpellier, boosted by several quality South Africans, crumbled in the second half to crash out of the Champions Cup.  Saracens’s South Africans enjoyed a far happier afternoon, with Schalk Burger and Vincent Koch inspiring Saracens to a 62-14 hammering of Northampton Saints.

Veteran Springbok Burger played the first hour at No 8.

Johan Ackermann’s Gloucester were beaten at home in the Challenge Cup.

Ackermann’s Gloucester, despite the 34-24 defeat against Pau, made the play-offs but they will be away from home in the quarter-finals.

Montpellier, who fielded Springboks Ruan Pienaar, Jan Serfontein, Frans Steyn and Bismarck du Plessis led 14-8 at halftime but the competition’s form team won 23-14 to complete an unbeaten six match campaign and qualify for the play-offs as the No 1 team.

Montpellier needed to win to sneak into the final eight and hope that Glasgow beat Exeter.

Glasgow, without a win in five matches, did their bit in edging the in-form English team, but Montpellier’s last 40 minutes turned into a nightmare as Leinster took charge of the match.

Champions Cup results

Clermont bt Ospreys 24-7

Saracens bt Saints 62-14

Glasgow bt Exeter 28-21

Leinster bt Montpellier 28-21

All the latest on Champions Cup

Challenge Cup results

Enisei-STM 19 Newcastle 33, Krasny Yar 17 London Irish 24, Zebre 38 Agen 30, Connacht Rugby 50 Oyonnax 14, Dragons 33 Bordeaux-Bègles 17.