By Finlay Morrison

In the penultimate round of Champions Cup and Challenge Cup fixtures both Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh knew that a win was vital for their respective hopes of qualification for the knockout stages.

The Warriors travelled to Northampton to take on the Saints in a Pool 3 eliminator in the Champions Cup.

Meanwhile Edinburgh entertained French side Agen in the Challenge Cup knowing that a win would give them a great chance of topping their pool.

Northampton Saints 19-15 Glasgow Warriors

Gregor Townsend took his depleted Warriors side to one of his former stomping grounds hoping to do the unthinkable and beat the former European champions in their own back yard.

But with an injury list as long as the backlog of air traffic at Glasgow Airport on Sunday, it was to prove too big a hurdle for his team to overcome.

Saints and Sinners

The home side started positively and took the game to their Scottish visitors, and despite missing a handful of first-choice forwards, they managed to rumble over for the opening score through number eight Teimana Harrison from one of their renowned driving mauls.

The signs looked ominous for a Glasgow side who continued to shoot themselves in the foot whenever they ventured into the Saints' half, but despite a long-range penalty miss from fullback Stuart Hogg, two goals from Finn Russell meant the Pro 12 champions were only a point behind at the break having enjoyed a lengthy period of possession.

Same Old Story

Having marched to the Pro 12 title last season, playing a brand of exciting attacking rugby, the main aim for Glasgow Warriors this term was to make an impact in Europe and looking back on the doomed Pool 3 campaign, you would have to say that this was hardly the most testing group in the tournament and the damaging home loss to the Saints in round two effectively meant progress would have to wait yet another year, given the form of Dan Carter's Racing 92.

The postponed round one match in Paris allowed the Scarlets and Northampton to get up to speed for the Champions Cup ahead of Glasgow and the Parisians and despite the back-to-back wins over the Scarlets in December, the Warriors were always up against it to qualify.

Sunday night's narrow defeat at Franklins Gardens, courtesy of a late Harry Mallinder try after Tim Swinson had been sin-binned for a mindless punch, could have been much different had Hogg and Russell bisected the posts with their early penalty efforts, but there were still positive displays from the likes of young scrum half Ali Price, centre Alex Dunbar, fullback Hogg and Leone Nakawara.

Finn Russell Form

Despite his ability to find space where there seemingly is none, Finn Russell looks short on the swagger and confidence he possessed last season and with less than three weeks to go until Eddie Jones' new-look England arrive at Murrayfield, both Townsend and Vern Cotter will be praying that the talented stand-off recaptures his form over the coming fortnight, if selected.

Rugby Park Dead Rubber

For Glasgow though, there is now only the prospect of a dead rubber, albeit against star-studded Racing 92 at the unfamiliar Rugby Park in Kilmarnock next Saturday, to give their dejected supporters something to shout about before the season run away from them.

The Parisians inflicted the Scarlets' heaviest European defeat, a 64-14 demolition job which sees them qualify for the quarter finals ahead of their trip to Ayrshire, and are now seen as joint-favourites for the Champions Cup.

Champions Cup Wrap

In-form Saracens made light work of Ulster at Allianz Park on Saturday in a 33-17 win whilst in Pool 1's other encounter there was another shock defeat for former champions Toulouse as they were beaten 32-14 at Oyonnax.

In Pool 2 Ospreys stunned the rugby world with a well-earned 21-13 win over perennial European runners-up Clermont Auvergne just as Bordeaux-Begles registered a shock of their own in defeating the impressive Exeter Chiefs 34-27 at Chamban-Delmas to effectively end the English side's involvement in the competition.

Leicester Tigers continue to lead the way in Pool 4 and qualified for the quarter finals with a routine 47-7 win over Treviso on Saturday night, whilst already eliminated Munster avenged last weekend's defeat to Stade Francais in a 26-13 reversal at Thomond Park.

Pool 5 is living up to its hype so far this season as Wasps nearly claimed the biggest scalp of them all, but reigning champions Toulon salvaged a win with an 80th minute Drew Mitchell try to earn a narrow 15-11 home victory, whilst already eliminated Leinster dented Bath's hopes of qualification with a 25-11 win in Dublin.

Edinburgh 23-0 Agen

Despite being on an impressive winning run, both domestically and in the second tier European competition, Alan Solomons' side had failed to register a winning bonus point until the latter stages of Friday night's win over French strugglers Agen at Murrayfield, courtesy of a late Hamish Watson try to add to earlier scores from Magnus Bradbury, Mike Coman and Greig Tonks.

After a forgettable first half in which Bradbury's try and a Tonks penalty were the only notable events, Edinburgh pieced together some enterprising play in freezing cold conditions to effectively get the job done and repeatedly opted to kick for the corner rather than for the posts in an effort to gain the maximum haul.

The win sees the capital club sit in second place, just one behind next week's opponents Grenoble, whom they have already beaten this season, in what has now become a winner-takes-all clash at Stade des Alpes on Saturday night.

Edinburgh's Pool 5 rivals London Irish were effectively eliminated from the tournament with a damaging 18-28 home loss to Grenoble who now top the pool on 18 points.

Challenge Cup Wrap

Russian side Enisei-STM more than justified their place in the Challenge Cup with only their second-ever win, this time over Premiership side Newcastle Falcons in a 24-7 victory in Sochi, whilst Brive's 21-18 win over Connacht means Pool 1 is still up for grabs heading into the final weekend.

Newport Gwent Dragons ensured their place in the last eight with a comfortable 31-18 win over an ill-disciplined Castres on Friday night and kept and in Pool 2's other clash, Pau were defeated 3-27 by Sale Sharks.

In Pool 3 Harlequins overcame Cardiff Blues in an entertaining 34-26 win at a frozen Stoop on Sunday, whilst Montpellier easily overcame Italian minnows Calvisano 7-47 at Peroni Stadium and in Pool 4 Zebre shocked Worcester Warriors with a 15-22 away win at Sixways and reigning champions Gloucester beat La Rochelle 20-10 at Kingsholm.

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