Nigel Davies’ Scarlets are in a similar position. They top Group 2 after leaving Adams Park with an impressive 18-13 win over Wasps mean are in line for a semi-final place.
The same cannot be said for the Ospreys who were roundly beaten by the Dragons. The west Wales region are bottom of Group 1 with no hope of making the final four.
The Dragons’ 40-19 win puts them in second place in Group 4 and they must hope Northampton Saints slip up against Leicester Tigers next weekend or their competition is over.
Both sides scored three tries but the match was won via the boot. Dragons fly half Jason Tovey was responsible for 25 of the points his side scored, via seven penalties and two conversions.
But defending champions, the Cardiff Blues demonstrated their strength in depth by recording an impressive six-try win over the Falcons – their Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-final opponents.
The home side ran in tries through the much-criticised Sam Norton-Knight (2), Ma’ama Molitika, Richard Mustoe, Ceri Sweeney and Ben White as they moved to the top of Pool Three. Hooker Alex Walker grabbed a hat-trick of scores for the visitors with replacement Rob Vickers adding a fourth to give the Falcons a bonus point.
Both teams attempted to play an expansive game, with the Falcons spurning kicks for goal as Director of Rugby Steve Bates gave his youth some experience of rugby at the top level.
But the Blues, whose starting line-up showed fifteen changes from the side which won at Harlequins in the Heineken Cup, proved too strong and romped to victory.
On Saturday, at Adams Park six penalties from Rhys Priestland were enough to see the Scarlets home. The fly-half landed all-but one of his attempts at goal to help the Magners League side secure a third straight success in the Anglo-Welsh event.
Wasps managed the only two tries of the game through Tom Varndell but a poor kicking display from Dave Walder cost them dear in the final reckoning.
The fly-half landed just one of his five efforts at the posts, including two penalty attempts in a second half that the hosts completely dominated but could not close out.
