R1: London Irish 27-32 Montpellier, Sharks 39-31 Quins, Clermont 24-14 Stormers, Racing 10-42 Leinster, Gloucester 22-17 Bordeaux, La Rochelle 46-12 Saints, Bulls 42-36 Lyon, Castres 12-27 Exeter, Sale 39-0 Ulster, Munster 13-18 Toulouse, Saracens 30-26 Edinburgh, Ospreys 17-23 Leicester
Tuesday 13 December 2022 14:34, UK
Sale began their Champions Cup campaign with an emphatic win over Ulster, while Saracens turned things around to beat Edinburgh and Leicester beat Ospreys...
Sale started their Heineken Champions Cup Pool B campaign with an emphatic 39-0 victory over Ulster at the AJ Bell Stadium.
The visitors had to fly over on the morning of the match due to travel issues and struggled to deal with the physicality of their hosts in Salford.
Six different try-scorers crossed for Sale, captain for the day Rob du Preez converting three of them, while their Irish visitors drew a blank on a tough afternoon.
Tom Curry, Dan du Preez, Rob du Preez, Tom Curtis, Byron McGuigan and Arron Reed crossed for scores.
After a tight opening quarter, the hosts soon began to assert their authority on the contest and scored their first try after 23 minutes and never looked back from there.
Both teams have a date with French opposition next week, Sale facing a trip to Toulouse while Ulster return home and welcome La Rochelle to the Kingspan Stadium on Saturday.
Saracens returned to the top table of European rugby with a hard-fought 30-26 Heineken Champions Cup win over Edinburgh at a freezing StoneX Stadium.
After missing two years of the competition through suspension, the three-time winners produced a rusty performance and it was not until late on that they were able to subdue a spirited Edinburgh.
Elliot Daly, Alex Lewington, Ben Earl and Tom Woolstencroft scored Saracens' tries, with Owen Farrell adding two conversions and two penalties.
Luan de Bruin and Wes Goosen touched down for Edinburgh, with Emiliano Boffelli converting both tries and kicking four penalties.
Leicester put speculation linking head coach Steve Borthwick with England's top job to one side as they opened their Heineken Champions Cup campaign by beating the Ospreys 23-17 in Swansea.
Borthwick is the hot favourite to succeed Eddie Jones, who was sacked five days ago following a poor autumn campaign after seven years in charge.
The Leicester boss has totally distanced himself from questions on England, insisting his focus was firmly on Tigers' tricky first European assignment.
And despite Borthwick resting a host of top names such as England pair Freddie Steward and Ben Youngs, Argentina hooker Julian Montoya and South Africa No 8 Jasper Wiese, Tigers prevailed.
Leicester trailed 10-6 at the break, but second-half tries from wing Harry Potter and full-back Anthony Watson put them in charge, while fly-half Charlie Atkinson converted both scores and kicked three penalties.
Ospreys claimed touchdowns from prop Nicky Smith and number eight Morgan Morris, plus two Jack Walsh conversions and a penalty, but it was their 12th successive Champions Cup defeat and they have not defeated English opposition in Europe for five years.
They visit French champions Montpellier next weekend, with Leicester hosting Clermont Auvergne after gaining a potentially-priceless European away win despite never remotely hitting top gear.
