Northampton secured a 28-12 win over Cardiff after seven failed attempts from other English sides to win in the Champions Cup this season; Leicester were also well beaten by Pau as they were defeated 41-17; Harlequins won in the Challenge Cup handing Vannes a 57-19 loss Northampton became the first Gallagher Prem team to win in the Investec Champions Cup this season as they earned a hard-fought 28-12 victory over Cardiff. After seven failed attempts from their fellow English sides, the Prem champions were pushed hard by their Welsh visitors, who at one time threatened a comeback at DPD Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens. It took a vital try from man of the match George Hendy to regain control for Saints as they restored some pride on what has been a bruising weekend for teams from their league. Cardiff made a late change at scrum-half, with South African Johan Mulder coming in for the experienced Aled Davies.
Saints opened the scoring with a superb breakaway try after 12 minutes, with Hendy making the initial charge before passing to Alex Mitchell on the outside. The England scrum-half’s pass back infield reached James Pater and the 19-year-old full-back did well to finish, with Anthony Belleau adding the conversion. The hosts had some daylight after having a free-kick awarded at a five-metre scrum, with Mitchell quickly finding Rory Hutchinson, whose pass inside sent Toby Thame through. Saints led 14-0 at half-time, but Cardiff scored a try seven minutes after the restart when Harri Millard crashed in from Mulder’s pass, following a tapped penalty, with Jarrod Evans adding the extras.
After Belleau was sin-binned for hands in the ruck near his own line, the visitors moved to within two points when Evans’ long pass gave Grady a walk-in for an unconverted try. Despite being down to 14 men, Northampton extended their lead when Hendy juggled Fraser Dingwall’s off-load and just about held on in diving over for a crucial score. Cardiff were not going quietly and looked certain to haul themselves within reach again when Josh Adams tore away down the left, but Hendy turned from try-scorer to try-saver with a brilliant last-ditch tackle. Saints finally made sure of victory with a minute to go when the ball was recycled for Dingwall, who glided his way through to cap his fine showing off the bench.
Ollie Chessum made a try-scoring return from injury but Leicester fell short in their opening Champions Cup clash with Pau in the south of France. Archie van der Flier gave the Tigers a flicker of hope when his 54th-minute try put his side within touching distance but the hosts ultimately pulled away for a 41-17 bonus-point win. The returning Chessum powered over in his first appearance of the season. But tries from Rodrigo Marta and Jon Zabala gave Pau a half-time lead and when they stretched their advantage through Marta’s second early in the second half, it looked all over for the visitors.
Van der Flier had other ideas when he went over, Billy Searle’s kick taking them back within seven points, but a careless penalty and subsequent try from Aaron Grandidier Nkanang all but sealed it for the French side. Pau sealed their bonus point in the dying stages when Searle’s attempted pass was intercepted and Fabien Brau-Boirie blazed home to secure an emphatic win. Marcus Smith shrugged off a first half sin bin to help Harlequins to a 57-19 bonus point win over Vannes in Pool Three of the European Challenge Cup. England back Smith totalled 22 points from two tries and six conversions, despite enduring a spell on the sidelines for a deliberate knock-on.
It was a much-needed, dominant display from the home side, who managed to shrug off their winless start to the new Gallagher Prem campaign. Quins were 26-14 up at the interval with Cadan Murley scoring twice and Smith and Will Hobson also crossing the line while the visitors responded through Wayan De Benedittis and winger Enzo Benmegal. Further tries from Sam Riley and Smith again had Harlequins home and dry by the hour mark. With the pressure off, Quins stepped up their pursuit of a bonus point, scoring three more tries in the final 15 minutes.
Will Evans grabbed his second and third tries of the match, either side of a score from Jimmy Staples.
