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Pau see off Leicester in Champions Cup / Photo: © AFP
Pau see off Leicester in Champions Cup
French Top 14 high-flyers Pau beat Prem outfit Leicester 41-17 in the Champions Cup on Sunday, as English clubs continued to struggle in the opening round of the competition.
The home side ran in five tries, courtesy of a Rodrigo Marta double and a Jon Zabala score as well as Aaron Grandidier Nkanang and Fabien Brau-Boirie's late efforts, while fly-half Axel Desperes racked up 16 points with the boot.
Ollie Chessum had scored a try inside 10 minutes to give Leicester an early lead and Archie van der Flier crossed the whitewash in the second period, but the home side always managed to hold the visitors at arm's length to earn a bonus-point win.
After Gloucester drew Friday's opening match against double-defending champions Bordeaux-Begles, English sides have tasted only defeat with Sale, Saracens, Bath and Bristol all losing on Saturday.
Reigning Prem champions Northampton will attempt to restore English pride when they host Cardiff later Sunday and Exeter are also in action, albeit away to French powerhouses Toulouse.
The opening weekend of the Champions Cup has been overshadowed by the death of South African lock Hyron Andrews.
The 31-year-old was found in cardiac arrest in a shower cubicle on Friday, local authorities told AFP, ahead of his Lions side's match at La Rochelle.
Tributes have been paid to Andrews at all matches across the competition.
S.Hall--SFF
