Bordeaux clinch Euro Champions Cup place
Thanks to Montpellier's victory over Harlequins in the European Challenge Cup Final two weeks ago, France will have seven teams in the Champions Cup next season, the same as the Celtic League and one more than the English Premiership.
Bordeaux scored four tries to earn a bonus point that took them up to sixth provisionally, but crucially meant that no side outside the top seven can now catch them ahead of next weekend's final round of regular season matches.
They now face a battle with Castres, four points behind but with a game more to play, to finish sixth and take a spot in the end-of-season play-offs.
New Zealander No.8 Matthew Clarkin, 34, celebrated his final home match for the club before retirement by scoring a last minute try that he converted himself.
The captain's compatriot Simon Hickey had already converted three more tries from Fiji wing Metuisela Talebula, flanker Louis-Benoit Madaule and full-back Nans Ducuing.
It was also the final home match for 35-year-old former South Africa international scrum-half Heini Adams.
Brive replied through a try from Fijian centre Sevanaia Galala, converted by Gaston Germain.
On Friday night, European Champions Cup finalists Racing 92 kept alive their hopes of finishing the regular season in the top two with a 30-14 win at La Rochelle.
With just one match left for the Parisians, they remain outsiders for a top two finish as they are level on points with Toulon and Montpellier, who both have an extra game to play – albeit that against each other on Sunday.
Clermont, who travel to Toulouse on Sunday, maintain a six-point lead at the top and look almost certain to finish the regular season next week top of the pile.
The top two sides receive a bye into the play-off semifinals while the teams finishing third to sixth must play a quarterfinal round.
Agence France-Presse
