Edinburgh lost all interest in European rugby on Sunday when they were crushed 38-6 by Munster at Thomond Park.
Alan Solomons' team were buoyed by a 27-16 win over Perpignan in the previous round, but they needed a win to make it into the quarter-finals of the European Challenge Cup. They never came close as the Irish team, fighting for a home quarter-final in the European Cup, dominated throughout, scoring six tries.
Munster's task was made even easier when South African flank Cornell du Preez was sent to the sin bin for a reckless entry into a ruck, slamming into Ireland veteran Paul O'Connor on the stroke of half-time. The Scottish club had restricted Munster to a score of 12-6 at that point, but they had no answer to the surge after the break.
In the other Pool 6 match, Gloucester beat Perpignan 38-16 to sneak a place in the European Challenge Cup quarter-finals, taking the place Edinburgh should have had.
In Pool 4, Clermont scored the four tries they needed in a 22-3 win against Racing Métro to secure a home quarter-final, thanks in part to two driving tries from former Lions flanker Gerhard Vosloo, who in 2012 became a fully fledged Frenchman after seven years in the Top 14. Racing were out of their depth in appalling quagmire conditions which saw them receive three yellow cards. At one point they were reduced to 13 men for nine minutes.
Weekend results:
Northampton Saints 13 Castres 3
Leinster 36 Ospreys 3
Saracens 64 Connacht 6
Zebre 6 Toulouse 16
Cardiff 13 Exeter 19
Glasgow 8 Toulon 15
Leicester 19 Ulster 22
Montpellier 24 Benetton Treviso 6
Munster 38 Edinburgh 6
Perpignan 18 Gloucester 36
Clermont 28 Racing Métro 3
Scarlets 20 Harlequins 22
Quarter-final line-up (4-6 April):
Ulster vs Saracens
Clermont vs Leicester
Toulon vs Leinster
Munster vs Toulouse
Semi-final draw (25-27 April):
Ulster/Saracens vs Clermont/Leicester
Toulon/Leinster vs Munster/Toulouse
Pienaar at the peak of his game
Saracens through with 11-try romp
