In the fourth minute of injury time Biarritz scrum -half Dimitri Yachvili struck the match-winning penalty after both sides had struggled for a nervous 15 minutes at 20-20.

Both sides ended the first half at 10-10 and the visitors took an opportunist score to edge in front after 42 minutes.

Biarritz full-back Nicholas Brusque took too long in his clearance and second-row Mark Connors used his height to charge the ball down and score a simply try.

In a game which never relented in pace and territorial skirmishes, the home side scored a try 10 minutes before the end.

Man of the match Thomas Lievremont stole away on the blindside to the cheers of the Biarritz fans. Yachvili converted to make an unbearable climax to the game.

Northampton’s organised defence shuffled back and forth to snuff out the Biarritz cut and thrust throughout the game.

Paul Grayson kicked an early penalty and Biarritz outside half Julien Peyrelongue appeared on the right wing to collect a kick throw for Biarritz’s first try.

Five minutes later Nick Beal squeezed in at the corner flag after a break through in midfield by Spanish winger Oriel Ripol who had been a handful all afternoon. Grayson converted but the lead only lasted four minutes before Yachvili at last converted his first penalty from three attempts to bring the scores level.

Biarritz were confident in their fast play and safe hands just as Northampton were content to suck in the attackers with their superb defence and a draw seemed to best reflect the two opposing styles. In the closing minutes David Couzinet did not have the reach as Biarritz’s big maul took Northampton apart.

Northampton’s tackling was relentless but another tackle by Serge Betsen on Matt Dawson stopped a promising Northampton counter-attack.

In the final minutes as they were stuck at 20-20 Cohen burst clear down the wing but was held back and Peyrelongue was lucky to escape the Northampton back-row in his own 22.