La Rochelle twice came from behind in the second half to triumph at Matmut Stadium de Gerland and clinch fifth place plus a play-off at fourth-placed Stade Toulousain in what will be a rerun of last season’s Heineken Champions Cup and Top 14 finals, both of which were won by Toulouse.

La Rochelle head coach Ronan O’Gara made 10 changes to the starting XV who defeated Leinster Rugby 24-21 in Marseille and Lyon capitalised as Dylan Cretin, Josua Tuisova and Baptiste Couilloud scored first-half tries to give the hosts a 19-5 half-time lead.

However, the visitors immediately hit back on the resumption with three tries of their own from Joel Sclavi, Jules Favre and Uini Atonio to edge 24-19 ahead.

A Yanis Charcosset try converted by Leo Berdeu regained the advantage for Lyon, only for La Rochelle to seal their trip to Toulouse with a 74th-minute score from Levani Botia, although both Noa Nakataici and Toby Arnold squandered chances at the death for the home side.

Meanwhile, Toulouse, who started the weekend in the last play-off slot, jumped to fourth thanks to an 80-7 home demolition of already-relegated Biarritz Olympique. The defending champions notched 12 tries from 12 different players - including Thomas Ramos, who also kicked six of the 10 conversions.

The other play-off sees Union Bordeaux-Bègles host Racing 92, who were both conquered by La Rochelle on their way to the European title.

Racing condemned RC Toulon to a second consecutive weekend of disappointment, as their 21-16 home victory over the EPCR Challenge Cup runners-up denied the visitors a play-off spot. Racing won the try count 2-1, with Juan Imhoff’s 62nd minute score proving decisive.

Heineken Champions Cup winners Stade Rochelais are still in the running for a European-domestic double – but only just, after pipping EPCR Challenge Cup champions Lyon 29-26 on a final-day thriller of the regular Top 14 season and so thwarting their double hopes.