European Challenge Cup: Newcastle Falcons 27-23 CA Brive

Full-back Simon Hammersley, who ran in Newcastle's opening try, signed a contract extension with the Premiership club in September

Newcastle Falcons missed out on a European Challenge Cup quarter-final spot despite dramatically overcoming Brive to finish second in their group.

Simon Hammersley, Alex Tait and Micky Young tries and Craig Willis' penalty put Falcons 22-3 up at the break, with Thomas Laranjeira responding for Brive.

Tries from Nicolas Bezy and Christopher Tuatara and two penalties from Laranjeira edged the French side ahead.

Hammersley then neatly kicked and gathered to seal victory late on.

The return of captain Will Welch was one of 11 changes the Falcons made from the ultimately costly defeat by Russian side Enisei-STM, as Newcastle looked to book a place in the last eight.

However, with Newport Gwent Dragons and Montpellier already securing safe passage as two of the three best runners-up in the group stage, progress was impossible even before Falcons kicked off at Kingston Park.

Newcastle Falcons: Hammersley; Tait, C. Harris, Socino, Kibirige; Willis, Young; Rogers, Lawson, Foster, Botha, Thompson, Wilson, Welch (capt), Chick.

Replacements: McGuigan, B. Harris, Ryan, Green, Mayhew, Dawson, Powell, Marshall.

CA Brive: Sola; Namy, Laranjeira, Tuatara-Morrison, Masilevu; Bezy, Pejoine (capt); Lavergne, Da Ros, Jourdain, Lebas, Steenkamp, Sanconnie, Luafutu, Hauman.

Replacements: Ribes, Pointud, Tuncer, Koyamaibole, Whetton, Iribaren, Petre, Mafi.

Referee: Leighton Hodges (Wales)

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