PARIS: Leinster thrashed Ospreys 36-3 on Friday to book their place in the European Cup quarter-finals while Northampton kept their faint hopes alive with a 13-3 win over Castres.
Leinster looked like they were in for a battle royale with their Celtic League rivals until Welsh lock Ian Evans was sent off for stamping on 20 minutes.
Although the Welsh region initially held out bravely, they soon crumbled as Leinster made the extra man count.
Two penalty tries and scores from Cian Healey, Jordi Murphy and Isaac Boss ensured Leinster took the bonus point that preserved their slim hopes of securing a home quarter-final tie, although that would depend on a couple of group winners slipping up this weekend.
The three-time winners became the seventh team to secure their quarter-final berth with just one runners-up wild card slot still to be decided.
On an evening of good news for the Irish, South African-born hooker Richardt Strauss made his return to action just three months after undergoing an operation on a heart defect that was originally thought to have ended his season. (AFP)
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