Leicester required no last-minute heroics this time as England winger Tom Varndell scored four tries as the Tigers booked their place in the Heineken Cup quarter-finals.

Leicester's late comeback against the Ospreys and last week's inspirational victory over Stade Francais - when they overturned a 22-12 deficit in the final nine minutes - left Pat Howard's men in pole position to qualify from Pool Three.

They required just a bonus point at the Parc des Sports Marcel-Michelin and had it in the bag after just 44 minutes when Varndell completed a stunning hat-trick.

Two of the finishes were simple, but after weathering a brutal early storm Leicester had created the openings with superb opportunistic rugby.

The Tigers will now wait to discover whether five wins from six games is enough to earn them a home quarter-final. It is a complicated equation but effectively the Tigers require either Sale to lose in Munster, or Leinster to beat Bath at the Recreation Ground.

Leicester were made to work hard in the opening stages as Clermont Auvergne began in enterprising fashion, playing high-tempo, quick-phase rugby inspired by the livewire French scrum-half Pierre Mignoni and a brutish pack of forwards who punctured frequent holes in the Tigers defence.

Canadian lock Jamie Cudmore and Argentinian prop Martin Scelzo were particularly effective in busting over the gain-line. It made for a bruising contest at the breakdown.

The Tigers struggled to gain any early momentum but Clermont Auvergne never looked like getting outside Leicester's cover defence and they were restricted to two penalties, converted by Welsh fly-half Stephen Jones.

Just when Clermont Auvergne, who had suffered a 57-23 defeat Welford Road in the opening round, should have turned the screw, Geordan Murphy picked off an ambitious pass and Leicester had their foot-hold.

Andy Goode landed a penalty and the Tigers then took maximum advantage by stinging Clermont Auvergne with three superb tries in the space of 14 minutes.

The Tigers were forced into a reshuffle when Ollie Smith, who had taken a blow to the head in the first minute, eventually conceded defeat and was replaced by Alex Tuilagi. The Samoan slotted onto the wing, Sam Vesty moved into midfield and Murphy switched to full-back.

And it was the Ireland international who created Leicester's first try as he counter-attacked through Jones' poor tackle from Jones and fed Varndell on the outside, who brushed past South African Breyton Paulse and held off Mignoni to score.

Four minutes later and Varndell was over again. Harry Ellis, making his first start since recovering from a knee injury, was becoming increasingly influential around the fringes. The England scrum-half broke off the back of a maul and showed superb strength to hold Mignoni at arm's length before slipping a one-handed pass to Varndell.

Leicester were in opportunistic mood after and moved 22-6 ahead after 38 minutes when Martin Corry tapped a free-kick to himself and charged 20 metres before sending Danny Hipkiss under the posts.

Suddenly, all news from Paris - where Stade Francais were beating the Ospreys - had become irrelevant but Clermont Auvergne were in no mood to give Leicester an easy ride into half-time.

The Italian centre Gonzalo Canale finally managed to prize open the Tigers defence as he collected the ball on the loop and slipped away from Vesty before sending Anthony Floch over for Clermont Auvergne's first score.

Leicester's passage into the quarter-finals was confirmed just four minutes after the interval.

Murphy hit the gap and was tackled just shy of the line, but offloaded from his knees to Varndell whose only task was to catch and touch down.

Ellis blew the chance of another when he failed to find Varndell on his outside.

Goode extended Leicester's lead with a penalty before Clermont Auvergne drove replacement flanker Alexandre Audebert over for their second try of the evening.

Goode landed a drop goal and then completed his personal haul of 13 points by converting Varndell's fourth try. Hipkiss started the break and found Varndell on his shoulder, who was too quick for the back-pedalling Clermont Auvergne defence.

Paulse finished off the scoring by picking off a loose pass from Ross Broadfoot, but the night belonged to Leicester and man-of-the-match Varndell.