Andrew is happy despite Falcons loss

Rob Andrew was a happy man in Toulouse yesterday - despite watching his young Newcastle side crash out of the Heineken Cup.

Newcastle - average age of yesterday's team 22 - went down 33-13 to one of France's strongest club sides and can no longer reach the quarter-finals from Pool Six.

But former England fly half Andrew said: 'We can't short-circuit this kind of experience for our kids. I hope they will learn from it.

'We came up against quality players, some of the most skilful in the world, especially in the backs, and our players tired psychologically.'

Two tries in the final three minutes gave Leeds Tykes an unlikely 30-27 Parker Pen Shield victory over Pontypridd at Headingley.

Bristol maintained their grip on the top of Pool Five with a 42-16 victory against Viadana in Italy, scoring four tries in the second half of a tempestuous game which also saw five men sin-binned.