Defeat would have all but ended the Amlin Challenge Cup holders' dream of going one better than their two previous Heineken Cup Finals appearances in 2006 and 2010 but victory at the Parc des Sports Aguilera does at least leave them in with a chance of progression to the quarter finals in 2013.

Conditions in the Basque Country were far from perfect, with heavy rain and a sodden playing surface making life difficult for both teams.

But it was Biarritz who dealt with the weather the better as they crossed for a try in either half and came close to a third only to see Taku Ngwenya fail to ground the ball when sliding for the line in the first half.

The hosts led 3-0 through a Dimitri Yachvili penalty after just two minutes but it took them until the half hour mark to cross the Connacht line when a well-worked backline move off scrum ball saw former England full back Iain Balshaw dive over out wide.

Yachvili defied the conditions to add a superb conversion from close to the left touchline and Biarritz were 10 points to the good.

The remainder of the game was an attritional affair due to the weather, with both sides showing no shortage of commitment but with Biarritz struggling to capitalize on their territorial dominance and Connacht unable to get off the mark.

Biarritz went close both through tight forward play and more adventurous options out wide but the score seemed destined to remain 10-0 until Seremai'a Burotu touched down with just 38 seconds remaining.

The Fijian replacement supplied a strong finish after Damien Traille's initial kick through had been accompanied by a lucky deflection to put the gloss on a gutsy performance by a Biarritz side who were undoubtedly second best just a week earlier in Galway.

Yachvili's second stunning conversion completed the scoring right on the final whistle to make it 17-0 and ensure there were a few more smiles on Basque faces after a turbulent few days in which coaches Jack Isaac and Serge Mihas both lost their jobs.