New format, same old drama

A round-up of the first Saturday of action in the new European Champions Cup and European Rugby Challenge Cup competitions where there was plenty of drama and high quality rugby played.

You can change the format, but you can't take the drama, intensity and excellence out of European club rugby.

Champions Cup

Pool 1: Sale 26-27 Munster
Pool 1: Saracens 30-23 Clermont Auvergne
Pool 3: Leicester 25-18 Ulster
Pool 4: Glasgow Warriors 37-10 Bath
Pool 5: Racing Métro 20-11 Northampton

Challenge Cup

Pool 1: Cardiff Blues 37-14 Grenoble
Pool 2: Connacht 48-12 La Rochelle
Pool 2: Bayonne 30-24 Exeter Chiefs
Pool 3: Stade Francais 22-38 Newport-Gwent Dragons
Pool 4: Lyon 28-18 London Welsh
Pool 5: Zebre 24-33 Oyonnax

CHAMPIONS CUP

Sale 26-27 Munster

Ian Keatley broke Sale hearts by landing a 40-metre drop goal with the last play of the game in front of a record AJ Bell Stadium crowd.

Sale, inspired by a dazzling display from half-back pairing Chris Cusiter and Danny Cipriani, led 23-7 at half-time only for Munster to complete a remarkable comeback.

Winger Andrew Conway and scrum-half Conor Murray scored tries before Keatley scored the winning points.

Saracens 30-23 Clermont

A see-saw game was eventualy won by Saracens, who had wingers Chris Ashton and David Strettle, as well as the boot of Charlie Hodgson to thank for their bonus point win.

The England-capped wingers both grabbed a brace of tries and man-of-the-match Hodgson played his part with two conversions and two penalties.

Zac Guildford crossed twice for Clermont and the remainder of their points came from Camille Lopez, who landed two conversions, two penalties and a drop goal.

Glasgow Warriors 37-10 Bath

Glasgow handed Bath a hammering in front of their home fans at Scotstoun in one of the most eye-catching results of the day

Bath led 10-7 early on after a try from Jonathan Joseph cancelled out Mark Bennett's early effort, but that was as good as it got for the visitors.

Glasgow pushed on to lead 23-10 at the break thanks to tries from Sean Maitland and Tommy Seymour and a brace of Duncan Weir penalties.

Bath made a raft of substitutions in the second half in a bid to get back into the game but to no avail as they drew a blank in the second half.

Niko Matawalu and Bennett touched down for Glasgow and both scores were converted by Weir to complete a resounding victory for the Scots.

Racing Métro 20-11 Northampton

Northampton were made to pay for a couple of costly errors late on as Racing Métro survived an onslaught to run out 20-11 victors.

Trailing 13-6 in the last five inutes, Phil Dowson crossed to leave Stephen Myler with a chance to level the scores with a conversion.

However, he missed, and as Northampton tried to play from inside their own half to take a last-gasp win, they lost the ball and allowed Marc Andreu to cross for Racing.

Johannes Goosen converted the score to prevent Northampton from leaving with a losing bonus point.

Alexandre Dumoulin scored Racing's try and Jonny Sexton scored 10 points.

Northampton will also rue the misfortune of George Pisi to go down injured after breaking clear of the Racing defence with the tryline in sight.

Leicester 25-18 Ulster

Leicester withstood a fierce Ulster fightback to run out winners at Welford Road.

The Tigers stormed into a 19-3 lead at half-time with tries coming from Owen Williams, Graham Kitchener and Freddie Burns, who converted one score with Williams also adding a conversion.

Paddy Jackson's penalty was all Ulster could muster.

The second half was a different matter, and Ulster almost pulled off a similar comeback to Munster's earlier in the day only to fall short.

Another Williams penalty increased Leicester's lead to 22-6 before Tommy Bowe crossed and Jackson converted before Williams slotted over again.

With 14 minutes to go, Franco van der Meyde touched down for Ulster and Jackson's missed conversion made the score 25-18 to the home side but there was to be no further scoring and Leicester took the points.

CHALLENGE CUP

Connacht 48-12 La Rochelle

Connacht had wrapped up a bonus point by half-time as they romped to a huge win over La Rochelle.

They led 29-0 at the break and scored seven tries in all and La Rochelle could only manage a brace of tries themselves, both in the second half.

Robbie Henshaw crossed twice for Connacht as Danie Poolman, Matt Healy, Jack Carty, Kieran Marmion and Ronan Loughney also touched down.

Damien Cier and Charles Bouldoire were La Rochelle's scorers.

Lyon 28-18 London Welsh

Lyon fought off a London Welsh fightback to win 28-18 and claim a bonus point. The majority of the points were scored in the first half, Lyon going in 21-15 ahead.

Just nine points were added in the second half, but Lyon held on.

Cardiff Blues 37-14 Grenoble

Cardiff stormed clear of Grenoble in the second half of their clash. They led 15-6 at the break thanks to Rhys Patchell converting his own try and kicking a penalty after Lloyd Williams had also crossed.

An early second-half try from Sam Warburton and one from Richard Smith just before the hour-mark secured the bonus point for the Blues, whose fifth try came from Josh Turnbull.

Their line was breached late on when Louis Marrou crossed for Grenoble.

Zebre 24-33 Oyonnax

Oyonnax served notice of their power with a 33-24 away win against Italians Zebre.

They came from behind to complete victory after Zebre, thanks to an Andrea Manici try and three Edoardo Padovani penalties, led 14-6 at the break.

The French side struck back with tries in the second half from Silvere Tian, Christophe Andre and Yohan Domenesch.

David Odiete crossed for Zebre to put them 24-16 ahead but Oyonnax then added 17 unanswered points.

Bayonne 30-24 Exeter Chiefs

Exeter looked to be heading to victory over Bayonne before a 77th minute try by Lisiate Fa'aoso sealed victory for the home side.

Bayonne led 17-16 after a ding-dong battle in the first half and the two sides traded scores in the second half as well.

Carl Rimmer's 54th-minute try put Exeter ahead with the boot of Ceri Sweeney keeping Bayonne at bay until the closing moments.

Stade Francais 22-38 Newport-Gwent Dragons

Newport-Gwent Dragons took an impressive bonus point win over Stade Francais after dominating the second half.

The two sides had been locked at 15-15 at the break but in the second half Hallam Amos and Nic Cudd crossed to add to earlier scores from Rhys Thomas and Richie Rees.

That came after Stade had raced into a 12-3 lead.

A converted Herman Meyer Bosman try got them back to within three points of the Dragons at 25-22, but thereafter, the Welsh side wrapped things up.