Top 14 side Montauban will play in the Heineken Cup next season for the first time and will be the 55th team to play in Europe's premier competition.
Montauban secured France's seventh spot in the Heineken Cup with a hard fought 24-17 victory over Albi, ending Montpellier's hopes.
Heineken Cup qualification looked unlikely for Montauban at half-time as they went into the break 14 points down to Albi without even recording a score. It wasn't until the 70th minute that they took the lead with their third try and then held out untill the whistle to secure their historic European qualification.
Speaking after the game Montauban wing Sylvain Jonnet said, "This Heineken Cup qualification is the result of many years of work, which started in 2000 when this squad first came together. It's the squad's victory. A new adventure begins and we have to be ready for it."
Montauban's success means Montpellier will play in the European Challenge Cup next season after finishing eighth in the Top 14 despite their 23- 13 victory over Auch.
The Top 14 semi-final fixtures were also confirmed over the weekend with ASM Clermont Auvergne set to face Perpignan while Heineken Cup finalists Toulouse will clash with Stade Français Paris. The final will take place on Saturday, 28 June at the Stade de France in Paris.
