Heineken Champions Cup: Stade Francais sneak late win vs Connacht; Sale Sharks thrash Ospreys; Exeter lose in Montpellier

Stade Francais secured a dramatic victory over Connacht, giving them a real chance of making the Champions Cup round of 16

A round-up of the latest Heineken Champions Cup round four pool stage action as April's round of 16 picture is decided.

Confirmed Heineken Champions Cup two-legged Round of 16 ties:

Racing 92 vs Stade Francais

Ulster vs Toulouse

La Rochelle vs Bordeaux-Begles

Leinster vs Connacht

Bristol Bears vs Sale Sharks

Munster vs Exeter Chiefs

Harlequins vs Montpellier

Leicester Tigers vs Clermont Auvergne

Stade Francais 37-31 Connacht

Stade Francais sneaked into the Heineken Champions Cup round of 16 in dramatic fashion as a late try and penalty effort ensured they beat Connacht and made up the points difference on Cardiff to move up to eighth in Pool B.

• Munster romp to victory as Wasps knocked out
• Ulster hold on to beat Clermont in Belfast
• Northampton's Champions Cup hopes over after Covid forfeit
• Toulouse threaten legal action after Cardiff Covid forfeit

Stade needed a bonus-point victory by at least six points in order to move level with Cardiff on seven competition points and better the Welsh region's points difference, but for a long while it seemed as if Connacht would end their campaign on a high.

Alex Wootton and Caolin Blade struck tries in the first half as Connacht went into the break 17-10 ahead, while Stade hooker Tolu Latu was then red carded in the second half as Connacht stretched into 24-15 and 31-20 leads.

Connacht looked for the most part to be heading for victory after some superb rugby but suffered late defeat

Tries from Ryan Chapuis and Adrien Lapegue in the final 13 minutes edged Stade ahead by three, but they needed a further penalty in the time remaining to give themselves a real chance of progression. Joris Segonds hit the post with an effort from distance in the final minute but then nailed one last attempt to seal a six-point winning margin.

Stade would only have been denied a place in the round of 16 if Wasps picked up any result later on Sunday at Munster, but the Premiership side could not do so as they lost 45-7 in Limerick.

Sale Sharks 49-10 Ospreys

Elsewhere on Sunday, Sale closed their Champions Cup pool stage campaign with a dominant win over the Ospreys at the AJ Bell.

The victory means Sale will face Bristol in the knockouts, after Munster beat Wasps with a bonus-point and Exeter slipped to defeat in Montpellier.

The Sharks scored seven tries in all through Tom Roebuck (two), Arron Reed, Ewan Ashman, Dan du Preez, Curtis Langdon and Jack Metcalf.

Montpellier 37-26 Exeter Chiefs

Sam Simmonds scored three tries yet still ended on the losing side as Exeter went down 37-26 to Montpellier in the Heineken Champions Cup.

Montpellier's victory earned them a place in the top eight in Pool A and and a round-of-16 meeting with English champions Harlequins, while the Chiefs will take on Munster.

The home win also ended Glasgow's hopes of staying in the tournament.

Montpellier director of rugby Phillipe Saint-Andre was able to field a near full-strength team a week on from their 89-7 annihilation in Dublin against Leinster and, after being rocked by a third-minute try from Sam Simmonds, the home side took firm control through their huge pack.