French champions Biarritz ran in seven-tries to demolish Parma 45-3 on Friday to guarantee their place in the European Cup quarter-finals.
Benjamin Noirot, Martin Gaitan, Philippe Bidabe, Marcelo Bosch (2), Petru Vladimir Balan and Serge Betsen all crossed the line as Biarritz made it five wins in five matches in Pool 6.
In Pool 2, Gloucester squandered an 18-14 lead in the last 10 minutes to lose 26-18 at Agen as their hopes of making the last eight were virtually ended.
PHOTO: AFP
"We are hurting," said Gloucester coach Dean Ryan. "We got ourselves into a winning position but there was a little bit of inexperience and we gave away a few cheap penalties."
Biarritz, runners-up to Munster in last year's final, will face 2000 champions Northampton in their final group game next Sunday where they can make sure of top spot in the group.
A win there would give them a home tie in the last eight for the third time in three years.
PHOTO: AFP
Friday's win in the club's 50th European tie, also brought much-needed relief from their domestic travails where they have lost their last two league matches to slip well off the pace in the title race.
Alejandro Canale kicked Parma's only three points to leave the Italians firmly rooted to the foot of the table with five defeats from their five outings.
At Agen, the French side raced into 14-0 lead over Gloucester with converted tries from Pepito Elhorga and Arnaud Mignardi.
But Gloucester hit back with England winger Iain Balshaw scoring from Rory Lawson's attack for 14-5 at the break.
A Ryan Lamb penalty and a Peter Richards try, from a move which stretched the length of the field after a neat interchange of passes, gave the Englishmen a 15-14 lead.
Lamb hit another penalty to make the lead 18-14 but four Agen penalties from Jerome Miquel in the last 10 minutes sealed a victory which put the French side into second place in the table, two points behind leaders Leinster.
Ryan believes Gloucester came off worst in some of the close penalty decisions.
"I don't think we got the rub of the green in some of the decisions," said the Gloucester coach. "There were a lot of marginals which became important in the last 10 minutes. Some opportunities were taken away from us but the damage to our European Cup campaign had already been done and we have had to fight to get back on track."
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