Connacht beat Sharks to book quarter-final spot

European Challenge Cup last 16 Connacht (7) 29 Tries: Mullins, Forde 2. Hurley-Langton Cons: Gilbert 3 Pens: Gilbert Sharks (12) 12 Pens: Smith 4 Connacht scored four tries as they recovered from a five-point half-time deficit to beat the Sharks 29-12 and progress to European Challenge Cup quarter-finals. The victory at the Dexcom Stadium booked a berth against the winners of Saturday's game between Montpellier or Perpignan at the last-eight stage next weekend.

Jean Smith got the scoreboard ticking over for Sharks with a seventh-minute penalty after Cian Prendergast was penalised for not rolling away after a tackle by Eben Etzebeth, with the fly-half accurate from the tee again just after the 20-minute mark to extend his side's advantage. One minute later the hosts responded as wing Chay Mullins dived over in the corner and Sam Gilbert added the conversion. Bundee Aki offloaded to Shamus Hurley-Langton and the back row executed a pass to Mullins, who ran in from 22 metres out to score.

Smith landed two more penalties as the South African side led by five points at half-time. Seven minutes after the restart Cathal Forde barged over between the posts after a patient build-up from the Irish province, with Gilbert contributing the extras to make it 14-12. Hurley-Langton was next to cross for the hosts, again rumbling over from close range to extend Stuart Lancaster's team's advantage, then Forde ran through to score his second of the game, again under the posts.

The centre took the ball in midfield, brushed off a tackle and showed good pace to race over the line, Gilbert kicking the additional two points. The full-back split the posts again with a penalty soon after as Ulster secured a trip to France in the next knockout stage. Connacht: Gilbert; Jennings, Forde, Aki, Mullins; Ioane, Devine; Bohan, Heffernan, Illo; Joyce, Murray; Murphy, Hurley-Langton, Prendergast (capt) Replacements: Tierney-Martin, Dooley, Bealham, Murray, Boyle, Reilly, Naughton, Devine.