European champions Toulouse overcame a battling performance from an inexperienced Cardiff team in their opening match; Leinster scored a bonus-point win at home to Bath
Last Updated: 11/12/21 6:06pm
A round-up of the rest of Saturday’s European action, which included wins for reigning champions Toulouse and Leinster…
Cardiff 7-39 Toulouse
Cardiff produced a battling display despite their ravaged playing resources in going down to a defeat against European champions Toulouse at the Arms Park.
The Heineken Champions Cup pool clash took place against a backdrop of more than 30 Cardiff players and a number of staff, including rugby director Dai Young, isolating until next week due to Covid-19 regulations.
Toulouse’s newly crowned world player of the year Antoine Dupont provided them with masterful direction. He scored one try and set up others for Anthony Jelonch, Pita Ahki and Arthur Bonneval, with Joe Tekori also touching down while Romain Ntamack kicked two penalties and four conversions.
Cardiff deserve considerable credit for even managing to fulfil the fixture amid such circumstances – and a crowd of just over 10,000 roared them on – with centre Josh Adams providing a highlight through his first-half try that Jason Tovey converted.
But they also had full-back Jacob Beetham sent off, who departed after 74 minutes following a dangerous shoulder-led tackle.
Leinster 45-20 Bath
Seven-try Leinster proved too strong for Gallagher Premiership strugglers Bath in a Champions Cup victory at the Aviva Stadium.
With six of Bath’s starters making their European debuts, a second-minute penalty from fly-half Orlando Bailey settled the early nerves.
But from then on, the 25,403 spectators were treated to a free-flowing first half, at the end of which Leinster led 31-13, with Bath’s late rally seeing Jacques Du Toit crash over from a well-worked line-out move.
The hosts had dominated up to that point, bagging their bonus point within 24 minutes as Jamison Gibson-Park (2), Tadhg Furlong, James Lowe and Hugo Keenan, with his first European try, all touched down.
Bath’s porous defence leaked two more tries – Ronan Kelleher and Josh Van Der Flier both crossing before replacement Gabriel Hamer-Webb replied with a late consolation score for Stuart Hopper’s young side.