Sharks defeated Harlequins 39-31 to record South Africa’s first Heineken Champions Cup success; Leinster start with an impressive 42-10 win against Racing 92; Gloucester produce late comeback to beat Bordeaux Begles
Last Update: 10/12/22 5:53 pm
Ox Nche’s expulsion did not stop Sharks from becoming the first South African team to win a Heineken Champions Cup match
Harlequins opened their Heineken Champions Cup campaign with a defeat as Sharks became the first South African team to record a victory in the competition.
Quins was beaten 39-31 in Durban in the first match involving one of the three South African teams admitted to this season’s tournament.
The home side’s win came despite a 60th-minute red card to prop Ox Nche, dealt after a head-on collision, and with an extra man, Quins moved within a point at 32-31 as Josh Bassett pulled away. he went over the top for his second attempt. .
Breathing room was restored thanks to fullback Boeta Chamberlain’s scoring, and the Sharks finished out Pool A play to earn a bonus points victory; Quins’ five tries, including another double, for Andre Esterhuizen, meant they came back north with a bonus point of their own.
Quins head coach Tabai Matson said: “We’ve given them too many penalties and given them too many chances, and the good teams take them. We missed our own chances in the game to play our game, so it’s going to be frustrating. when we inform the games.”
There was more to celebrate in Group A for leinsterwho started his run with an impressive 42-10 win at Racing 92.
A concert scheduled for the French team’s Parisian stadium meant the game was played in Le Havre and, without genuine home-field advantage, Racing were no match for their Irish visitors.
Josh van der Flier scored two of Leinster’s six tries against Racing 92
Runners-up last season, Leinster made a statement when they ran in six tries to earn a bonus point, the first of which came via Andrew Porter seven minutes later and two more scored before half-time by world player of the year Josh go. the steering wheel.
Racing’s only try was scored late by former England wing Christian Wade, back in rugby after a three-year NFL stint.
Leinster head coach Leo Cullen said: “The lads started with great intention and it was important to score early. I had seen Racing in their recent games and they had scored a lot of early points. They had gotten past Clermont and it was important to take that away from them”.
Elsewhere in Group A, gloucester rallied from a 12-point halftime deficit to start with a 22-17 win over Bordeaux Begles.
Charlie Chapman gets a hug from Jack Clement after scoring Gloucester’s winning try against Bordeaux Begles
Trailing 17-5 at half-time after an error-marred first half, the Premiership side still trailed on that scoreline with just 16 minutes remaining.
But late attempts by Albert Tuisue, Santiago Socino and Charlie Chapman, putting the finishing touches on a smart play, turned the tide of the game for the locals.
