All Black star Jordie Barrett marked his Leinster debut with a try in their 35-12 win at English side Bristol on Sunday while defending champions Toulouse produced a stunning opening to their Champions Cup campaign as they hammered Ulster 61-21
Another French success saw Bordeaux-Begles ease to a 42-28 win over another English team Leicester.
Barrett was named on the bench at Ashton Gate where US star Ilona Maher, who has just signed for Bristol's women's team, was in the stands but he made a difference as soon as he came on at the start of the second half as a replacement for Ciaran Frawley when the scores were tied up at 7-7.
Leinster, who have reached eight previous finals winning four, got their noses in front in this Pool 2 encounter in the 54th minute when Sam Prendergast glided in under the posts for a superb try, the first of three in five minutes.
He added the conversion and then did the same when Barrett, two minutes later, combined with Jordan Larmour before slipping in under the posts for a debut try.
Three minutes later Prendergast crossed for a second time to secure the bonus point.
Josh van der Flier added a fifth try before Gabriel Ibitoye notched a consolation try for the home side.
What a second half performance. 🙌🔵#BRIvLEI #FromTheGroundUp pic.twitter.com/RZ6y0yC74U
— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) December 8, 2024
"It was nice to get a feel for the match... I was chomping at the bit to get the opportunity to play," Barrett told Premier Sports after the match
"Leinster's reputation in Europe is a big part of why I wanted to come here. I wanted to test myself in these games and I loved it."
Six-times champions Toulouse ran in nine tries at a packed Stade Ernest-Wallon to take a bonus point from their Pool 1 game against Ulster with French stars Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack both touching down.
There were also two tries each for France lock Emmanuel Meafou and Italy wing Angel Capuozzo, the others coming from Matthis Lebel, Santiago Chocobares and a last minute penalty try.
"Considering the conditions, we played a very serious match, with some good play, technical quality and pragmatism," said Dupont.
Ulster, the 1999 champions, dotted down three times but missed out on a fourth which would have netted them a bonus point.
Ulster head coach Richie Murphy said it was a "disappointing" performance ahead of next week's meeting with Bordeaux-Begles in Belfast.
"That's not a good enough performance for the Ulster jersey," said Murphy.
VINTAGE BORDEAUX
Bordeaux, sitting second in the Top 14 behind Pool 1 rivals Toulouse, ran in six tries in total in the win over Leicester at a sell-out 32,000-capacity Stade Chaban-Delmas.
Ex-Wallaby No 8 Pete Samu scored two with France fly-half Matthieu Jalibert converting them all.
Leicester lock Harry Wells burrowed over for the game's opening try but Samu hit straight back for the home side, showing a clean pair of heels from 40 metres after a clever inside ball from Jalibert.
Leicester scored two more tries from Josh Bassett and Come Joussain while Puma lock Guido Petti touched down for Bordeaux as the visitors took a 21-14 lead at the break.
Bordeaux took charge in the second period with France wing Louis Bielle-Barrey crossing for a double either side of a second try for Samu. Nicolas Depoortere added Bordeaux's sixth.
Leicester left France with an attacking bonus point, however, as Australian centre Izaia Perese grabbed his team's fourth try with the final move of the game.