Northampton winger Ben Cohen scored a second-half hat-trick put the pressure on Biarritz's Heineken Cup qualification bid.

The Saints are already out of contention, but the visitors now need to beat Edinburgh Reivers next week to make sure oif their qualification.

Cohen struck in a devastating 18-minute spell to bring back the Midlanders from 15-24 down.

A second try just before the interval from hooker Steve Thompson, playing out of position in the back row, kept Saints in touch at 15-17 after French international wing Philippe Bernat-Salles had sprinted 40 metres for a try.

Northampton, without the likes of Pat Lam, Matt Dawson, Budge Pountney, Paul Grayson and Andrew Blowers picked up the pace in the second half.

And it was Cohen who emphasised the point with his second try in the 64th minute, going inside centre Philippe Bidabe and around fullback Bonetti to tip the balance Northampton's way.

The French side had international number eight Thomas Lievremont sin-binned in the 70th minute and Cohen's final try ended any hopes Biarritz might have had of dragging this game out of the fire.

Northampton: Beal, Martin, Bateman, Allen, Cohen, Hepher, Malone, Pagel, Brotherstone, Stewart, Newman, Rodber, Thompson, Rennick, Seely. Replacements: Richmond, Todd, Bramhall, Tucker, Webster.

Biarritz: S. Bonnet, Bernat-Salles, Bidabe, Couttet, Legg, Botica, S. Bonnet, Menieu, Gonzalez, Avril, Nauroy, Versailles, Betsen, M. Lievremont, T. Lievremont. Replacements: Chamboulive, Fitzgerald, Roumat, Milheres, Morlaes, Mazas, Daguerre.

Referee: Nigel Whitehouse (RFU)