The China Mail - Leinster sink holders La Rochelle in Champions Cup rematch

Ireland winger Jordan Larmour scored the game's only try for Leinster moments after both teams were reduced to 14 men as Jonathan Danty and Joe McCarthy were sin-binned following a 12th-minute tussle.

Harry Byrne nailed the conversion as Leinster replied to Antoine Hastoy's early penalty for the hosts in driving rain on the Atlantic coast.

Another Hastoy kick reduced the gap to a point, but Leinster took a 10-6 lead into half-time as Ciaran Frawley replaced the injured Byrne and immediately slotted over a penalty.

Hastoy again cut the deficit for La Rochelle but two more penalties from Frawley, the second a monster 60-metre effort with time expiring, secured victory for the Irish province.

"It's only round one for starters, so it's not getting too excited at the moment, but we talked before the game that the conditions were going to play a big part," said Leinster head coach Leo Cullen.

"It was forecast all week, so we tried to prepare accordingly," he added. "That's the type of game it was going to be, a very hard game to chase because of the conditions."

La Rochelle have also made a sluggish start in the Top 14, losing five of nine games, and take on South Africa's Stormers next Saturday in their second Pool 4 fixture.

"Leinster were hungry and it showed," said La Rochelle director of rugby Ronan O'Gara.

"The best team won tonight. We had opportunities but didn't take them. This defeat must be used as a lesson."

Leinster, adjusting to life without the retired Johnny Sexton, are chasing a record-equalling fifth title after falling short against La Rochelle in successive finals. The French side won 27-26 last season to hoist the trophy in Dublin.

Only Toulon have won the tournament on three straight occasions.

- Quins knock off Racing -

Harlequins won 31-28 away to Racing 92 in a thrilling encounter in Paris as Marcus Smith converted all four tries, including his own, and added a drop goal.

Smith and Andre Esterhuizen touched down in the first half for Quins, who led by three at the interval as half-back duo Nolann Le Garrec and Antoine Gibert notched tries for Racing.

The hosts then surged 28-17 ahead as Le Garrec crossed again before flanker Ibrahim Diallo did likewise.

But Quins hit back with two quick tries from Alex Dombrandt and Jack Walker to snatch victory in Pool 2.

English Premiership leaders Sale produced a storming second-half display to beat a lacklustre Stade Francais in their opening Pool 4 fixture in Salford.

Leading 6-5 at half-time, Sale stepped up a gear in the second half scoring 22 points unanswered with tries from Tom O'Flaherty, Jonny Hill and Sam Dugdale.

England fly-half George Ford opened the scoring with a penalty in the 13th minute before Jeremy Ward found himself in space after a searing break from full-back Leo Barre to put Stade Francais in front.

Ford, however, put Sale back on top just before half-time with his second penalty.

Sale dominated the second period with Ford adding another penalty before left-wing O'Flaherty slipped through some flimsy tackling to score in the corner.

Ten minutes later, Sale found the same corner, this time with Raffi Quirke finding room for lock forward Hill to slide in.

Dugdale then went on the charge from a tap penalty close to the French line and bulldozed his way through for the try.

Tom Curtis fired over the conversion to complete a fine afternoon for the English.

In Leicester, Handre Pollard scored 20 points as the English side came from behind to see off the Stormers 35-26.

B.Chan--ThChM