Challenge Cup: Connacht will not be taking any action over allegations of gouging and biting by Montpellier players in their ill-tempered European Challenge Cup tie last Friday night.

Connacht are furious Italian referee Carlo Damasco did not take firm action against the French, but citing Montpellier players has been ruled out.

Coach Michael Bradley was far from happy with Damasco and his officials.

"It started with the first scrum. The punches went in from Montpellier at that stage and the gouging started.

"Our loosehead prop, Ray Hogan, was bitten on the side of the face in the first scrum. That sort off thing has no place in rugby, no place in any sport. We were not protected by the match officials."

Connacht will now play another French side, Dean Richards' Grenoble, in the quarter-finals after Christmas, but in between there are three Celtic League games, against Glasgow, Munster and Ulster . . . and an injury list that just keeps getting worse.

Quarter-finals: Sale Sharks v Agen; Grenoble v Connacht; Pau v Clermont Auvergne; Saracens v Brive. Ties to played over two legs, weekends of Jan 7th-9th and Jan 14th-16th.