ROB Andrew, paid tribute to his side's professionalism as Newcastle Falcons secured a 24-17 European Challenge Cup win over Brive.

The win on Saturday ensures home passage to the final should the Falcons progress through the knock-out stages, having drawn Irish province Connacht at Kingston Park after the seedings for the quarter-finals were completed yesterday.

"Yet again the forwards have laid the foundations," director of rugby Andrew said.

"The scrum went well, we won all our own line out ball and nicked three or four of theirs, then we coped better with the breakdown as the game went on after a few early problems there.

"Our second half performance was as good as any 40 minutes we have put together on French soil, and it would have been a travesty if we had let them score a converted try at the end to draw the game."

Having led 12-10 at the interval courtesy of four Matt Burke penalties, Andrew said: "Although we had a lot of territory in the first half we didn't exploit it as well as we could, and at half time we were frustrated and disappointed.

"But we responded well, got the pick-and-drive going, sucked defenders in and scored two excellent tries.

"I was delighted with the last ten minutes because we basically shut them out, and it was top class closing out of a game."

Facing an intimidating atmosphere on the other side of the Channel, Andrew praised his side's composure, saying: "There was a lot going on out there, and, with the crowd, the referee was under enormous pressure, but we just had to deal with it in a professional manner, which we did.

"We were able to score out wide because of the work in the set piece, and our defence on the driving play prevented them from hurting us there as much as they would have liked."

Andrew paid tribute coach Peter Walton's work on the training ground, adding: "We used all five forward replacements, but it didn't alter it one iota, we just basically put two packs out, which was the goal.

"We're unbeaten in eight of the last nine I think, only losing at Wasps, and people's eyes don't lie.

"They could see we had been taken apart up front from last Christmas to October this year, and the personnel has stayed much the same, so the improvements are down largely to Peter Walton and the way the players have responded.

"Today has been a professional display, and we prepared very well for this. The key now is just to keep it going and not ease off in the slightest."

Falcons clash with Connacht will take place on the weekend of March 31/April 1-2, with the club set to confirm the exact date and time in the coming weeks before tickets go on sale on Monday, January 30.

Should the Falcons progress through that match they will then face a home semi-final against the winner of London Irish and Bayonne, who meet at the Madejski Stadium in the quarter-finals.

Any potential semi-final would take place on the weekend of April 21-22-23 at Kingston Park.

Reflecting on the draw, Andrew said: "Connacht are a decent side, and we will not be taking them lightly at all in the quarter finals.

"Our victory this weekend means we will get a home semi-final should we progress, but we are not even thinking about that at this stage, and we are focusing all of our attention in to what will be a very tough Premiership match at home to Saracens this Saturday."