Northampton 18 Castres 12:Northampton battled hard for a Heineken Cup victory over Castres that keeps them in the hunt for quarter-final qualification. Ulster were confirmed as Pool Four winners following their victory over Glasgow, but Northampton could still reach the knockout stages as one of the best group stage runners-up.

Northampton ground out the victory they needed with three penalties each from Stephen Myler and Ryan Lamb. The Saints will now go in search of a bonus-point victory over Glasgow next weekend and hope that is enough to secure a berth in the quarter-finals.

Northampton escaped when scrumhalf Rory Kockott missed his first penalty shot at goal after he had been tackled off the ball by Jamie Elliot.

Kockott kicked Castres into the lead after referee George Clancy penalised the Northampton scrum, despite the Saints pack being on top and going forward. Referee Clancy evened the ledger at the next scrum, allowing Myler to equalise but his handling of the set-piece raised more than a few eyebrows in the stands.

The Saints pack was penalised for wheeling the scrum and Castres cleared but Northampton had better luck at the next set-piece, winning a penalty which Myler kicked successfully.

Castres equalised immediately, though, when Northampton were penalised for sealing off the ball under their own posts and the first half ended with the scores level.

Northampton hooker Dylan Hartley spurned the points and went for another catch-and-drive against the seven-man Castres pack but the Saints made a hash of it, ended up going backwards and lost the opportunity.

Dominic Waldouck tried to conjure an opening but was swallowed up by the Castres defence and eventually Northampton had to settle for a third Myler penalty.

Northampton then repelled Castres, holding firm in the scrum before some aggressive defence forced Joe Tekori to hold on and concede the penalty, allowing Myler to clear.

Myler was replaced by Lamb, who extended Northampton’s lead, but it was cancelled out by Kockott almost immediately after the Saints’ replacement fly-half had been penalised for going off his feet.

Lamb then almost had a pass intercepted but the tension was eased a shade when he chipped over another penalty after Yannick Forestier had been penalised at the ruck.

Lamb then sealed the victory with his third penalty, although Kockott rescued a losing bonus point for Castres with the final kick of the game.