Newcastle suffer as Exeter look towards last eight

Exeter kept alive their hopes of qualifying for the quarter-finals of the Amlin Challenge Cup as they picked up maximum points against Newcastle with a 36-10 win.

Even though coach Rob Baxter made 12 changes to the side that beat Wasps last weekend, Exeter ran in three tries before the

break to open up a 22-0 advantage.

That left the Chiefs with the goal of claiming one more try in the second half to match the bonus point that pool leaders Montpellier had gained in their 39-14 home win over Bourgoin the night before.

They managed two more to clinch the full five points and are now only three points behind Montpellier at the top of the table, who they face in France in Round Six next month.

Ben Moon's try got things going, Michael Stupple added a second try and Ryan Davis kicked two conversions and a penalty as they assumed control.

Matt Jess went over for a third try, with the fourth and fifth scores coming from Chad Slade and Andrew Higgins.

Newcastle grabbed consolation tries from Mickey Youngs and Danny Williams.

Stade Francais suffered a scare but maintained their 100 per cent record in Pool Four with a bonus-point 29-20 victory at Bucharest Oaks.

The French giants named a full strength line-up for the trip to Romania but they were pushed all the way against the spirited hosts.

Stelian Burcea and Madalin Lemnaru touched down for Bucharest but Stade hit back with four tries through Hugo Bonneval, Laurent Sempere, Pascal Pape and Sergio Parisse to stretch their lead to 10 points over Leeds Carnegie.

USA winger Kevin Swyrin scored a brace as Agen ran out 33-10 comfortable winners over Rovigo in Pool Five.

Swyrin opened and finished the scoring for the visitors who claimed maximum points in northern Italy.

The Top 14 outfit also scored a penalty try as well as Osea Kolinisau's second-half

effort.

Petrarca clinched their first victory in the competition with a 37-10 success over Spanish side Cetransa El Salvador in Pool

Two.

Gloucester closed the gap on Pool Six leaders La Rochelle with a hard-fought 13-6 victory to put their Amlin Challenge Cup hopes back on track.

James Simpson-Daniel crossed for the only try of a scrappy affair on 25 minutes in freezing conditions on the west coast of France.

The result leaves Bryan Redpath's men just one point behind their rivals at the top of the table.

Benjamin Dambielle slotted La Rochelle's points, with Nicky Robinson kicking a conversion and Freddie Burns two

penalties to make up Gloucester's score.

In the day's final game, Sale fell to a disappointing 18-9 defeat at the hands of Brive to compound a difficult week at the Edgeley Park club.

Nick MacLeod scored the only points for the Sharks as they lacked cutting edge in the south of France.

They showed plenty of attacking intent but were put to the swords by clinical Brive outfit with

Alexis Palisson grabbing two

tries.

Gloucester chairman Tom Walkinshaw has died, the Aviva Premiership club confirmed last night.

Walkinshaw, a former Formula 1 team owner, had been suffering from cancer.