Heineken Cup review: Round One
There were few shocks on the opening weekend of the 2010/11 Heineken Cup, and there was still plenty of action and drama as Europe’s premier club competition got underway.
Perhaps the biggest surprise came at the Madejski Stadium as London Irish beat two-time Heineken Cup winners Munster. The hosts, who currently top the Aviva Premiership, beat their Magners League opponents 23-17 to move to the top of Pool three. Jonny Wilkinson’s Toulon join the Exiles on four points after their 19-14 victory over Ospreys, although both defeated sides were able to claw back a losing bonus-point.
Meanwhile, reigning champions Toulouse did just enough to win their opener against a spirited London Wasps at the Stade Municipal. However, had Wasps fly-half Dave Walder not missed a late penalty, the Premiership club would have recorded a shock victory. In the end, David Skrela’s clinical kicking proved the difference, as he scored all of Toulouse’s 18 points to seal the points. It’s Glasgow Warriors who top Pool six after the first round of matches, though. The Scottish side’s 21-13 win against Newport Gwent Dragons on Friday evening was a tremendous start for Sean Lineen’s men.
Elsewhere, Premiership champions Leicester Tigers were expected to beat Benetton Treviso on Saturday afternoon - and so it proved - but they were certainly made to work hard for their bonus-point win. A late try from Alesana Tuilagi secured a 34-29 victory in Treviso, and ensured Leicester avoided a shock defeat. The Tigers are joined by Scarlets at the top of Pool five after the Welsh outfit beat Perpignan, 43-34. In a nine-try thriller at Parc y Scarlets, Stephen Jones scored 28 of his side’s points to cap a quite superb individual display.
Scarlets’ compatriots, Cardiff Blues, also got their European campaign off to a winning start at the Cardiff City Stadium. The hosts beat Edinburgh 18-17 in Pool one, helped by the presence of Casey Laulala, who was sensational. The Blues are joined at the top of the pool by Northampton Saints. Jim Mallinder’s side sealed an 18-14 victory against French club Castres at Franklin’s Gardens to send out a clear message to the rest of their Heineken Cup competitors.
In Pool two, Leinster lead the pack following their impressive 38-22 win against Racing Metro. The hosts crossed the line five times at the RDS Arena and thoroughly deserved their bonus-point victory, although their French opponents did manage to give a decent account of themselves. Saracens would have been hoping for a better start, though. The Premiership club lost 25-10 away at Clermont Auvergne, who now sit second in the group.
And in Pool four, Ulster were the second Irish side to record a bonus-point win over the weekend. The 1999 champions beat newly-formed Italian side Aironi at Ravenhill to climb to the top of the group, one place ahead of last year’s finalists, Biarritz, who beat Bath by the narrowest of margins at the Recreation Ground. Despite not scoring a single try, the French side won 12-11 thanks to some typically accurate kicking from Dimitri Yachvili, who scored all 12 of his team’s points.
With the first round of matches done and dusted, attentions now turn to this weekend as all 24 teams enter battle once again, before a two month European break until mid-December.
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