NEWCASTLE FALCONS will host French club Brive in the quarter-finals of the European Challenge Cup after completing the group stage of the competition with a 100 per cent record.

Falcons made it six out of six at the top of their qualifying pool as they claimed a 33-19 win over Russian side Enisei-STM in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi.

They will now take on Brive at Kingston Park over Easter weekend (March 29 to April 1), with the exact date and kick-off tie for the game to be confirmed once BT Sport have announced their selections for live television coverage.

The winners of the last-eight game will take on either Gloucester or Connacht in the Challenge Cup semi-finals on the weekend of April 20-22.

Falcons rounded off their group campaign with a comfortable enough win in Georgia, despite the demands of the 3,000 mile trip that took them to Tbilisi via Istanbul.

They fell behind in the seventh minute when Enisei winger Federico Giliberti grounded despite colliding with the goalpost, but Falcons hit back midway through the first half when Mark Wilson was driven over following a maul.

Newcastle’s second try quickly followed, with Adam Radwan following up his hat-trick against the same opposition a week earlier by jinking past three defenders to score from 20 yards.

Toby Flood converted, and Falcons effectively put the game to bed with two more tries in the space of three minutes before the break.

Flood claimed the first, collecting Mark Wilson’s offload after Sam Lockwood produced an excellent line break, and Radwan doubled his personal tally for the afternoon as he scored the second, speeding home after Flood’s dummy opened up space.

Leading 26-7 at the interval, Falcons eased up slightly in the second half, and were able to introduce Callum Chick after a two-month injury lay-off.

Enisei claimed the first points of the second half as Anton Sychev powered over from close range, but Radwan secured a notable personal milestone as he made it six tries in the space of seven days by chasing down a kick to the left corner.

The final score of the game when the Russians’ way, with Mikheil Gachechiladze succeeding with a close-range pick-up-and-go.

“The Challenge Cup has been great for us,” said Falcons director of rugby Dean Richards. “A number of guys have stepped up and we’re delighted with how they have gone as a group.

“We knew it was going to be a tough game, and that Enisei would be a more difficult proposition over here in Georgia than they had been at Kingston Park last week.

“They are a quality side, we paid them full respect and they made us work hard for every point. It has been a learning curve for the players but it has been good, and we can look forward to the quarter-final stage now.”