Challenge Cup: Saturday review

A look back on all the Challenge Cup action from Saturday including Cardiff Blues v Calvisano and London Irish v Agen.

Calvisano 9-50 Cardiff Blues

Cardiff Blues got their campaign underway with a seven-try thrashing of Calvisano on Saturday afternoon. The Welsh side ran out 50-9 winners as Rhys Patchell contributed 11 points with the boot. 

Lloyd Williams and winger Tom James scored in the first half to give their side a 12-6 lead following two efforts from Filippo Buscema from the tee, before Patchell made it 15-6 at the break with a second penalty.

Ellis Jenkins and Dan Fish added two more tries in the second half to hand their side the bonus point within the 50-minute mark, before Blaine Scully and centre Gavin Evans put the game away.

A penalty try in the 79th minute brought up the half century for the Blues following the conversion.

London Irish 48-10 Agen

Alex Lewington and Gerard Ellis each scored a pair of tries as London Irish claimed an 48-10 win over Agen at the Madejski Stadium.

There were eight tries in total, with Johnny Williams, Joe Trayfoot, Robert McCusker and Sean Maitland all contributing to their side's cause.

Fly-half Chris Noakes had an indifferent night with the boot, converting four of the eight tries.

Agen were the final try-scorers of the day, with the Exiles unable to score in the final 20 minutes of their bonus-point win.

Worcester 19-3 La Rochelle

Worcester were forced to wait until the 77th minute before securing their win over La Rochelle at Sixways Stadium.

With four minutes remaining the newly-promoted Premiership side were 12-3 up before a try from Ben Howard and a conversion from Ryan Lamb secured the points for Dean Ryan's men.

Lamb contributed four penalties with the boot as they got their European jaunt off to a winning start.

Gloucester 23-10 Zebre

Gloucester resisted a second-half comeback from Zebre to come out 23-10 winners in their opening fixture of the campaign.

A seventh-minute try from Henry Purdy as well as efforts from Ross Moriarty and Stephen McColl, to go with eight points from the boot of Billy Burns, gave Gloucester a 23-0 lead at half-time.

The Italians came fighting back after the break, earning a penalty try in the 52nd minute before Edward Padovani slotted a penalty to make it 23-10.

Neither side was able to add to the tally following Padovani's 57th-minute effort from the tee as Gloucester secured the win in front of the Kingsholm faithful.