Challenge Cup, Round Five roundup
All the action from the European Challenge Cup
With quarter-final spots up for grabs, Bayonne kicked off Round Five of the European Challenge Cup by thumping Toulon.
BAYONNE 62-0 TOULON
Bayonne barged past a very weak challenge from a seriously under-strength Toulon side at Stade Jean-Dauger on Friday night, running in 10 unanswered tries on their way to a 62-0 victory - with wing Benjamin Lhande notching up a hat-trick.
Scorers:
For Bayonne:
Tries: Benjamin Lhande 3, Benjamin Thierry, JJean-Marie Usandisaga, Jorge Garcia, Thierry Cleda, Steven Hall, Yannick Lamour, Richard Dourthe
Cons: Henri-Pierre Vermis 6
BUCURESTI 13-27 GLOUCESTER
Gloucester ground out a 27-13 victory over a winless Bucuresti to ensure quarter-final qualification - but it wasn't plain sailing for the English visitors.
After Gloucester's 106-3 mauling of the Romanians in the first-leg match at Kingsholm, visiting fans were left scratching their heads as their side led only 5-0 at half-time.
Gloucester talisman Jake Boer was the only man to trouble the scorers in the first spell, scoring his fifth try in three European matches.
Gloucester moved up a gear in the second half with tries to hooker Rob Elloway and replacement scrum-half Peter Richards, before a late penalty try ensured a bonus point.
The Cherry and Whites are guaranteed a Cup quarter-final, with next weekend's final Pool 3 match against Bayonne at Kingsholm deciding who tops the pool and secures home advantage in the play-offs.
"I thought Bucuresti played outstandingly well and that is a great credit to them," said Gloucester boss Dean Ryan.
"From our point of view, there was a quality issue but I thought we adapted well and got the four tries and the bonus point.
"It was a difficult environment but we came here and got a job done and that's the most important thing."
Scorers:
For Bucaresti:
Try: Catalin Nicolae
Con: Dan Dumbrava
Pens: Dan Dumbrava 2
For Glooucester:
Tries: Jake Boer, Robert Elloway, Peter Richards, penalty try
Cons: Simon Amor, Ludovic Mercier
Pens: Simon Amor
CONNACHT 43-10 MONTPELLIER
In Galway, Connacht kept the pressure on Worcester in Pool 5 with an impressive 43-10 win over Montpellier.
Playing into the wind in the first half, the home side led only 7-3 at the break, and lapsed behind when the powerful Montpellier scrum ;produced a penalty try early in the second half to give the visitors a 10-7 lead. David Slemen's penalty levelled the scores and then Connacht ran in five tries in half an hour. Flank Matt Lacey and centre Keith Matthews helped themselves to try doubles to secure a valuable victory.
Scorers:
For Connacht:
Tries: Keith Matthews 2, Matt Lacey, Colm Rigney, Conor McPhillips, Chris Keane
Cons: David Slemen 3, Paul Warwick 2
Pen: David Slemen
For Montpellier:
Try: penalty try
Con: David Bortolussi
Pen: David Bortolussi
WORCESTER WARRIORS 44-8 CATANIA
Worcester Warriors scored six tries to one against their Sicilian opponents who arrived at Sixways on the morning of the match. The Warriors led 25-5 at half-time and won a bonus point for their efforts.
Catania stemmed the flow midway through the second spell before conceding a last-minute try to former England scrum-half Andy Gomarsall.
The bad news for the home side was the sight of Thinus Delport limping off with a knee injury.
Scorers:
For Worcester Warriors:
Tries: Dale Rasmussen, Johnny Tuamoheloa, Drew Hickey, Mark Tucker, Jonny Hylton, Andy Gomarsall
Cons: Shane Drahm 4
Pens: Shane Drahm 2
For Catania:
Tries: Alessandro Pinna
Pens: Barry Irving
OVERMACH PARMA 11-19 LONDON IRISH
After leading 7-6 at half-time, London Irish sneaked home 19-11 against Parma at Stade Sergio Lanfranchi, and can secure a valuable home quarter-final with a win over Pau next weekend.
Fly-half Ross Laidlaw capped a fine game with a first-half try, before wing Topsy Ojo and flank Phil Murphy scored to seal the victory.
Scorers:
For Overmach Parma:
Tries: Manoa Vosawai
Cons: Francesco Mazzariol 2
For London Irish :
Tries: Topsy Ojo, Ross Laidlaw, Phil Murphy
Cons: Ross Laidlaw 2
L'AQUILA 19-47 BRIVE
Brive, for whom Martin Bottini scored a hat-trick of tries, scored seven tries to three. They led 28-7 at the break.
Scorers:
For L'Aquila:
Tries: Nicolas Canavoisio, Ealdo Birchall, Colin Quigley
Cons: Alberto Di Bernardo 2
For Brive:
Tries: Johan Dalla Riva, Cédric Leite, Martin Bottini 3, Yvan Manhes, Fabien Laurent
Cons: Johan Dalla Riva 3, Xavier Sadourny 2, Tim Clark
NORTHAMPTON SAINTS 45-8 BRISTOL
Northampton moved ahead of Bristol in Pool 1 with a 45-8 win over their English rivals in front of a Challenge Cup-record crowd of 12,227 at Franklin's Gardens.
New Zealanders were to the fore, with flank Sam Harding scoring a try double in the opening 10 minutes to propel the Saints to a comfortable victory ahead of next weekend's final Pool match against Viadana in Italy.
Another New Zealander, fly-half Carlos Spencer, added a first-half try as the Saints took a 19-3 lead into half-time, and a third Kiwi, scrum-half Sharky Robinson, sealed a bonus point.
England winger Ben Cohen scored his side's fifth and sixth tries, and New Zealand fullback Bruce Reihana added 10 points with the boot.
Bristol lock Mariano Sambucetti scored a last-minute consolation for the visitors.
Scorers:
For Northampton Saints:
Tries: Sam Harding 2, Carlos Spencer, Mark Robinson, Ben Cohen 2, Johnny Howard
Cons: Bruce Reihana 5
For Bristol:
Tries: Mariano Sambucetti
Pens: Tommy Hayes
NARBONNE 29-14 VIADANA - Parc des Sports et de l'Amitie
Saturday, January 14 - 18:30 (17:30 GMT)
Narbonne led just 14-9 at the break.
Scorers:
For Narbonne:
Tries: Franck Tournaire, Lei Tomiki 3
Cons: Cédric Rosalen 3
Pens: Cédric Rosalen
For Viadana:
Tries: Matteo Mazzantini
Pens: Sami Pace, Jacques Schutte 2
PAU 36-12 AGEN - Stade Municipal du Hameau
Saturday, January 14 - 18:30 (17:30 GMT)
This may just rank as the surprise of the weekend as battling Pau ran away with this match.
Scorers:
For Pau:
Tries: Grégory Puyo 2, Romain Terrain, Patrick Tabacco
Cons: Gonzalo Quesada 2
Pens: Gonzalo Quesada 2
Drops: Gonzalo Quesada 2
For Agen:
Tries: Yannick Larguet 2
Con: Jérôme Miquel
NEWCASTLE FALCONS 47-20 BORDER REIVERS - Kingston Park
Sunday, January 15 - 14:30 GMT
It was level pegging at half-time when the visitors led 20-19 but in the second half the Falcons flew away with the match, scoring a neat four converted tries. It started in the first minute of the second half when the heroic Matt Burke scored a try.
The victory probably ensures the Falcons of a home quarter-final.
Scorers
For Newcastle Falcons:
Tries: Colin Charvis, Owen Finegan, Mathew Tait, Matt Burke, Andy Buist, Ben Woods, Mickey Ward
Cons: Matt Burke 6
For Border Reivers:
Tries: Stuart Moffat, Andrew Miller
Cons: Charles Hore 2
Pens: Charles Hore 2