Northampton beat Cardiff to claim the only English win of Champions Cup opening round
English club Northampton Saints beat Welsh side Cardiff 28-12 in the opening round of rugby union's Champions Cup. It was the only win by an English club in that round.
Northampton Saints, the reigning English champions, beat Welsh club Cardiff 28-12 at Franklin's Gardens in the opening round of the Champions Cup, European rugby union's top club tournament. It was the only victory in the round for any team from England's Premiership (Prem).
The match was in Pool Four. Northampton, quarter-finalists last season, scored four tries but missed the fifth that would have earned a bonus point.
How the game unfolded
In slippery conditions, full-back James Pater and centre Toby Thame scored in the first half, and the hosts led 14-0 at the break. Cardiff hit back after the interval, with tries from Harri Millard and Mason Grady cutting the gap to two points at 14-12 in the final quarter.
Grady's try came after Northampton fly-half Anthony Belleau was sin-binned for a breakdown offence, and Jarrod Evans floated the ball out to him. Northampton responded quickly: George Hendy scored a try converted by Pater, and Fraser Dingwall added another in the 78th minute. Hendy also chased down Josh Adams to stop what looked a certain Cardiff try.
Background
Cardiff returned to Europe's top tier after two seasons in the Challenge Cup, the second-level competition. They had only a five-day turnaround from a United Rugby Championship match against the Sharks, so several influential players were held back. Wales and Lions internationals Taulupe Faletau and Josh Adams made their first appearances of the season after injury.
Northampton also made changes with a big game at Leicester due on Saturday. Elsewhere in the opening weekend, Gloucester drew with champions Bordeaux-Begles, while six other English sides lost.
