This weekend saw an action packed start to the Heineken Cup. All twenty four teams were involved in the round which started on Friday and ended on Sunday.

The biggest win of the round was at Murrayfield where South African laden Saracens slaughtered Edinburgh with a 45-0 victory. What would have made the Saracens win more impressive or depressing, depending on whose side you’re on, was that Saracens have gained a reputation for playing a boring, albeit winning, brand of rugby. In this game however they scored five tries which is only one less than they have scored in total this season in the Aviva Premiership where they have already played six games.

The closest game of the weekend saw struggling Sale Sharks beat Cardiff Blues by one point in a game played at Sale’s home ground on Sunday, this in spite of a hat trick of tries for impressive Cardiff winger Alex Cuthbert.

Meanwhile, defending champions Leinster secured a narrow win over Exeter, final score 9-6.  French, and European, powerhouse Toulouse came up against one of England’s best, Leicester Tigers, in one of the big games of the weekend. Toulouse ended comfortable winners, with a final score of 23-9 to Toulouse.

Current Aviva Premiership champions Harlequins secured an impressive win at home against Biarritz after a tight first half which saw the teams heading into the break level at 13 points all. Harlequins turned on the power in the second half and were eventually comfortable winners, final score 40-13. However, this victory would have been tempered by the news that influential fly half Nick Evans picked up an injury in the match which will keep him out of action for some weeks.

Josh Strauss scored a try for Glasgow to help them to a 3 point half time lead in their match against current Aviva Premiership leaders Northampton. However, it proved to be in vain as Glasgow remained scoreless through the second half and Northampton ended up winning 24-15.

Bakkies Botha’s Toulon faced fellow French team Montpellier at home in the final fixture of the weekend. Toulon ran out comfortable winners with the final score 37-16 in their favour,  with Botha scoring a try for Toulon.

Full list of results

 Sunday, 14 October 2012