PARIS: Montpellier crashed to the worst defeat ever suffered by a French facet in European Champions Cup historical past on Sunday after they had been thrashed 89-7 by Irish province Leinster.
French delight was salvaged partly by teenage full-back Louis Bielle-Biarrey who scored a hat-trick in Bordeaux-Begles’ 45-10 win over Welsh facet Scarlets whereas the Irish had additional trigger for celebration when Ulster booked their place within the final 16 with a 24-20 win at Northampton.
4-time winners Leinster scored 13 tries — Montpellier’s sole attempt scorer Masivesi Dakuwaqa was despatched off within the second-half — in opposition to a facet which needed to area academy gamers because of the variety of Covid-19 instances within the first group squad.
However it was fairly an announcement from a Leinster facet that had not performed since December 11.
That they had been aggrieved when the competitors organisers awarded Montpellier a 28-Zero victory of their match in France final month after it was cancelled resulting from Covid instances within the Irish facet.
Man-of-the-match Josh van der Flier scored a brace of tries as did fellow Eire again rower Jack Conan with Leinster recording their largest margin of victory within the competitors.
It bettered the earlier document, a 92-13 defeat of one other French facet Bourgoin in 2004.
Eire head coach Andy Farrell can have been delighted to see Irish captain Johnny Sexton return to motion for the primary time for the reason that victory over New Zealand on Nov 13.
He got here on for Ross Byrne and landed 5 conversions.
Leinster are as much as third of their pool and a second successive bonus level victory in opposition to English facet Tub subsequent week will guarantee a spot within the final 16 and preserve them within the hunt for one of many prime spots and residential benefit.
They didn’t emerge unscathed from the sport, although, with star prop Tadhg Furlong limping off after simply 5 minutes and captain James Ryan needed to pull out resulting from a hamstring drawback.
– Ulster qualify –
Leinster should still be in need of qualifying however Ulster turned the fourth group after Racing 92, Leicester and Bristol to safe their locations within the final 16.
Tries from wing Robert Baloucoune and scrum-half Nathan Doak gave Ulster an early 12-Zero lead and after Dan Biggar completed off a group transfer to deliver Northampton again into it, full-back Michael Lowry touched right down to make it 19-10 on the break.
In a decent second half, Lowry scored once more earlier than Rory Hutchinson’s late attempt earned Northampton a dropping bonus level.
Northampton lie tenth in Group A, two locations exterior the highest eight that qualify for the final 16.
Bordeaux, in the meantime, are fifth in Group B after working in seven tries on the Stade Chaban-Delmas of their bonus factors win over Scarlets.
Eighteen-year-old full-back Bielle-Biarrey, enjoying in simply his second senior recreation and making his first begin, scored a hat-trick and there have been additional tries from Cameron Woki, Geoffrey Cross, Maxime Lamothe, and Nans Ducuing.
Liam Williams and Gareth Davies touched down for Scarlets.
On Satuday, Racing beat Welsh area Ospreys 25-10, Bristol acquired the higher of Stade Francais 28-17 and Leicester got here from 18 factors behind to edge Irish province Connacht 29-28.
There was additionally a shock defeat for defending champions Toulouse — Wasps prevailing 30-22 even with enjoying 45 minutes with simply 14 males.
Full-back Jacob Umaga was despatched off for a harmful sort out.
“That took loads of effort. While you go right down to 14 males, particularly when it is somebody within the backfield, you need to handle the sport,” mentioned Wasps head coach Lee Blackett.
In a while Sunday, Japan full-back Kotaro Matsushima is ready to start out for Clermont at dwelling to Sale.
