European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) has announced that all Champions Cup and Challenge Cup games taking place in France this weekend have been postponed after the Paris terror attacks on Friday night. Almost 130 people were killed in a co-ordinated attack on six locations in the French capital last night, one of which was close to the Stade de France where France and Germany were playing an international friendly.
It was confirmed earlier today that the Champions Cup match due to take place in Paris between Racing 92 and Glasgow Warriors had been cancelled and now EPCR has called off four other matches. In the Champions Cup, Oyonnax vs. Ulster, which was due to take place today, and tomorrow's matches between Bordeaux Begles and Clermont Auvergne and Toulon and Bath have been postponed.
This evening's Challenge Cup fixture between Pau and Castres will also have to be rescheduled. A statement read: "EPCR extends its sincerest sympathies to everyone affected by the Paris attacks and as a mark of respect, all clubs competing in this weekend's remaining Champions Cup and Challenge Cup fixtures in other territories have been asked to observe a minute's silence before the games kickoff."
European Champions Cup
Oyonnax P-P Ulster - due to French attacks overnight
Racing 92 P-P Glasgow Warriors - due to French attacks overnight
Munster 32-7 Benetton Treviso
Munster have began their European Champions Cup campaign with a resounding 32-7 victory over Benetton Treviso in their European Rugby Champions Cup opener at Thomond Park this evening.
Munster failed to progress from their pool for only the second time in 17 seasons last year and they appeared determined to enure that they avoided a repeat of that disappointment this year, as it took them just four minutes to open the scoring through BJ Botha. The South African prop could have doubled his and his side's tally just minutes later when he crashed over again only to see his try ruled out after the referee consulted with TMO, and against the run of play the lead was wiped out after a quarter of an hour.
Treviso blocked a Munster attack, kicked and charged upfield and when Braam Steyn dived on the ball, a quick check with TMO confirmed a legal try, with Jayden Hayward converting to level the scores. Ian Keatley kicked the hosts back into a narrow lead as both sides struggled to settle in the rain after the frantic opening and things remained evenly poised as the half-time whistle blew. However, Munster seized the iniative in the second period and after Keatley added another penalty, captain CJ Stander bulldozed his way over to end a patient attack after another confirmation from TMO.
The Irish side finally found some breathing space with 12 minutes to go when they controlled the lineout after Keatley's kick to the corner and Duncan Casey bundled over and the back of the driving maul to extend the advantage. The hosts went searching for the fourth try which would hand them a valuable bonus point in their first pool match, and they were rewarded when Simon Zebo found space to crash over the line in the 75th minute, while Keatley added the conversion to secure the comfortable win.
Saracens 32-7 Toulouse
Owen Farrell has scored 22 points to guide Saracens to 32-7 victory over Toulouse in his side's European Rugby Champions Cup opener this evening.
The home side put the French outfit under pressure in the early stages of the match, which yielded two penalties in kicking distance. The England fly-half showed his ability by sending both kicks through the posts to put his team ahead.
Saracens extended their advantage when Mako Vunipola completed a team move by powering over the tryline for a score from close range, with Farrell adding the extras in the 15th minute. Three further penalties from the 23-year-old put the hosts in control of the contest before Chris Wyles was able to dive in at the left corner after Farrell, Brad Barritt and Alex Goode had created the opening.
However, on this occasion the kick was missed by the fly-half, but Saracens still took a 27-0 lead into the break. In the second half, Farrell put the match beyond doubt when he crossed the line himself by collecting a pass and bursting through a tackle to dive in for the score, although he did miss his the resulting conversion.
The visitors got on the board in the 49th minute when Christopher Tolofua managed to find space in the home side's defensive line to dive for the tryline from close range to notch the score, and Nicolas Bezy sent his kick through the posts. Both sides pushed to add to the scoreline, but neither could find a further score allowing the home side to ease to victory.
Saints 15-11 Scarlets
Northampton Saints have kicked off their European Rugby Champions Cup campaign with a hard-fought 15-11 victory over Scarlets this evening. The home side took the lead in the sixth minute when Ken Pisi crashed over the line from close range, while JJ Hanrahan added the extras.
Steven Shingler got the visitors on the board with a penalty, but the Saints looked to have extended their lead when Luther Burrell capitalised on a turnover to score, only to see his effort ruled out as George North was sent to the sin bin for a foul. Shingler brought his team within a point just before the break as he held his composure to send another kick from distance through the posts.
In the second half, Scarlets took the lead when Gareth Davies finished a flowing move to find the tryline, although the resulting conversion was missed by Shingler. Northampton responded immediately to regain the advantage as they produced a driving maul towards the line and Alex Waller found his way through the bodies to touch down for the score, but Hanrahan missed the conversion.
Jamie Gibson became the second Saints' player to be sent to the sin bin in the 64th minute, but it not affect his side as they extended their lead through a penalty kick from Hanrahan. Scarlets spurned the chance to pull back within a point as Aled Thomas saw his kick clatter off the post. The Welsh side put the pressure on late in the match, but the Saints held out to secure the win.
European Challenge Cup
Enisei-STM 14-31 Connacht
Connacht have secured victory and five points from their first European Rugby Challenge Cup Pool match of the season with a 31-14 victory over Enisei-STM in harsh conditions in Siberia.
In a testing first half at a snowy Central Stadium in Krasnoyarsk characterised by handling mistakes and struggles for possession in a temperature of below -20 degrees celsius, only two penalties from AJ MacGinty on his first Connacht start separated the sides at half time.
The fly-half kicked a third penalty shortly after the restart to extend the lead to nine, and the first try of the match arrived minutes later when, after another MacGinty kick had struck the post, the Irish side turned over possession from an Enisei five-metre scrum and Niyi Adeolokun went over in the corner.
As Connacht finally began to wear down their stubborn opposition they found a second try just two minutes later, as captain John Muldoon found the corner after a swift break from man-of-the-match Bundee Aki to give the visitors breathing space. Shortly after the hour mark Darragh Leader added a third after yet more good work from Aki and a powerful carry from replacement Sean O'Brien, but the first Russian side to qualify for the challenge cup responded seven minutes from time when replacement prop Andrei Polivalov powered over.
Connacht came forward again in search of a bonus point, however, and they secured it when MacGinty's crossfield kick found Rory Parata on the right to score, and though Polivalov added a second for the home side in the final minute, the visitors took a winning start and five points back to Ireland.
Calvisano 9-50 Cardiff Blues
A dominant display has seen Cardiff Blues seal a bonus-point 50-9 victory over Calvisano in their European Rugby Challenge Cup Pool 3 opener.
Blues have won just one of their first seven Pro 12 matches to start the current season and they fell behind in Italy to an early Filippo Buscema penalty despite starting well and twice threatening to break downfield. After an opening quarter of an hour of heavy forward battles, edged up the field through a series of penalties and took advantage when last season's Challenge Cup top scorer Lloyd Williams marked his 100th game for Blues by going over in the corner.
That breakthrough saw a marked improvement in the Welsh side's flow, and a second score arrived when a slick backs move and Gavin Evans' penetrating run allowed Tom James to slide in and extend the advantage. The sides traded penalties before the break but the visitors came out flying in the second half and added two more tries inside the first 10 minutes as Gethin Jenkins drove the pack over the line in the corner before winger Dan Fish secured a bonus point by adding a fourth.
A third Buscema penalty briefly reduced the arrears for the Eccellenza champions but Fish's replacement Blaine Scully capped a superb team move by scoring his first try for Blues after he was fed by Ellis Jenkins as his side increased their advantage. Gavin Evans burst through to score a sixth and add some gloss to the scoreline and Cardiff brought up the half-century in the final minute through a penalty try as the 2010 winners made a flying start to their European campaign.
Worcester Warriors 19-3 Stade Rochelais
Ben Howard's late try has secured a 19-3 victory for Worcester Warriors over Satde Rochelais to start their European Rugby Challenge Cup campaign at Sixways Stadium. Ryan Lamb slotted an early penalty as the RFU Championship holders took a slim lead in a competitive opening, and the fly-half added a second with 10 minutes gone as the home side had the better of the play in the opening stages.
However, Howard was penalised at the breakdown just moments later and the French side took their opportunity to halve the deficit as Charles Bouldoire converted to get Rochelais on the scoreboard in a lively opening. In a match devoid of clear try-scoring chances, the hosts failed to take a good opportunity when they could not capitalise on a lineout 5 metres from the tryline, although Lamb did get the chance to kick a third penalty and extend the lead to 9-3.
However, they were then pinned back by a good spell of pressure from the French side as the game remained tight, but Bouldoire could only strike the post from his second penalty attempt. Lamb extended the lead with another kick seconds before the half-time whistle to complete an error-strewn half, and Bouldoire missed anoother opportunity as the game continued to be dominated by kicking chances in the second period.
Ben Sowrey was hauled down on the 22 after racing away with a loose ball as Warriors searched for an opening to score, before they then turned over possession on their own five-metre line as Rochelais wasted a penalty.
The visitors then wasted a golden chance when they knocked on five metres from the line, and Warriors returned the favour shortly afterwards as errors cost both sides key opportunities. The only try of the match finally arrived three minutes from time to seal victory for the hosts, Howard linking up well with Ravai Fatiaki and cutting between defenders to go over and get Warriors' campaign off to a good start.
London Irish 48-10 Agen
London Irish have run in eight tries to comprehensively beat French side Agen 48-10 in their opening European Rugby Challenge Cup pool match at Madejski Stadium. The defiant visiting fans broke the minute silence held before the game to mark Friday's tragic events in Paris to sing the French national anthem, and their side responded by taking an early lead through a Francois Bouvier penalty.
However, Irish were heavy favourites on their home ground against the competition's lowest-ranked side and it took them just 10 minutes to find a way through for the first try as Johnny Williams crashed over after good work from Darren Allinson to mark his debut for the club in style. The visitors responded well initially, pinning the home side back and forcing some fine defensive work to prevent them breaking through, but they found themselves with a mountain to climb with 23 minutes gone when hooker Gerard Ellis burst through a gap to drive home from 20 metres and extend the lead.
Joe Trayfoot added a debut try of his own after half an hour as the Exiles began to move through the gears and Ellis went over for his second to secure the bonus point before half time as the hosts went into the break in control at 24-3. Just two minutes after the restart Alex Lewington latched on to Chris Noakes's chip to improve the scoreline further, and when Rob McCusker strolled over unchallenged and Sean Maitland scored his first for the club, it seemed to be a matter of how many Irish would score.
However, Agen enjoyed their best spell of the game and finally found a reward for their perseverance when Felicien Vergnon squeezed over for a consolation. There was still time for Lewington to add Irish's eighth and final try with his second of the afternoon as the Aviva Premiership strugglers recorded an emphatic start to their European campaign.
Gloucester 23-10 Zebre
Gloucester Rugby made the perfect start to their European Challenge Cup campaign with a 23-10 victory over Zebre in Pool 4.
The hosts made a quick start to the match, and opened the scoring after just eight minutes as Ross Moriarty set up Henry Purdy to run over for the game's first try in the corner. Billy Burns was unable to add the extra two points with a kick from touch, but a second Gloucester try five minutes later from Moriarty doubled the side's advantage. Burns converted, and the defending champions had an early 12-0 lead.
Burns added six more points with two penalty kicks before the half-hour mark, and a Steve McColl try on the stroke of half time following some good handling work from the Gloucester backs seemed to end the game as a contest. Gloucester struggled after the break, and went down to 14 men when Lewis Ludlow was shown a yellow card.
Zebre made their opponents pay for their ill discipline moments later, when they were awarded a penalty try on 52 minutes. Edoardo Padovani converted, and added three more points with a penalty on the hour mark. With Ludlow back on the field, the hosts saw out the second half to secure a 23-10 victory.
Pau P-P Castres - due to French attacks overnight
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