Champions and Challenge Cup round-up: Six-try Ulster ease past Zebre, La Rochelle beat Lions after tribute to Hyron Andrews

Late tries from Darge, Smith and Tuipulotu give Glasgow win

Henry Walker scored two first half tries for Ulster against Zebre in the Challenge Cup. Pic: ©INPHO/Giuseppe Fama

Henry Walker scored two first-half tries as Ulster opened their Challenge Cup campaign with a 40-21 bonus-point victory away at Pool 1 rivals Zebre.

Nathan Doak contributed three conversions and Jamie Benson two on a six-try afternoon for Richie Murphy’s side.

Hooker Walker, who made his Ulster debut two weeks ago, made his first competitive start, and got the scoring under way in the 12th minute.

Last season’s Challenge Cup finalists built up a 19-0 advantage by the halfway point, through Walker’s two tries, scored eight minutes before and after one by Jacob Stockdale.

Giovanni Licata got the hosts on the scoresheet with a try three minutes after the break, converted by Giacomo Da Re, but Dave McCann issued a reply four minutes later.

Alessandro Ortombina and Giovanni Montemauri – who also added two conversions – started to claw away at Ulster’s lead, but tries from Michael Lowry and Martin Moloney in the final 10 minutes sealed victory.

In the Champions Cup, La Rochelle stood in solidarity with an emotional Lions side following the sudden death of their team-mate Hyron Andrews.

The 31-year-old was found dead on the eve of the match following an accident at the Johannesburg side’s team hotel in France, casting a long shadow over Saturday’s Champions Cup clash.

Fans of La Rochelle, who won the tie 31-14, lined the approach to the stadium and clapped an emotional Lions squad on their arrival.

Tributes continued with a minute’s silence while Andrews’ shirt was placed in the centre of the pitch, with a number of the South African contingent fighting off tears.

Supporters broke into a round of applause in the fifth minute, in honour of Andrews’ squad number.

The match went ahead following discussions between the teams on Friday.

Glasgow Warriors extended their unbeaten start to the new season by pulling away to claim an impressive 47-27 win at Sale in Pool 1. Glasgow’s winning score looked convincing, but they secured victory in the final 20 minutes after Rekeiti Ma’asi-White had temporarily reduced Sale’s deficit to four.

The hosts had made all the running in the early stages and were 12 points up inside the first 10 minutes thanks to tries from Ben Curry and Arron Reed. The visitors hit back through a penalty try and further efforts from Kyle Steyn and Jamie Dobie to carve out a 21-15 lead at the interval.

The game looked in the balance until late tries from Rory Darge, Ollie Smith and debutant Otavio Tuipulotu helped Glasgow pull away and wrap up a bonus-point win. Glasgow host Pau in their next Champions Cup encounter while Sale travel to Leinster for a tricky test in mid-December.  

In Pool 3, the Stormers ran in seven tries in a 49-12 thumping of Bristol Bears in their Champions Cup opener.

The home side were on top from the start in Cape Town, with Seabelo Senatla scoring their first try in the seventh minute before Leolin Zas added a second eight minutes later.

Joe Owen broke away down the wing for a solo try for Bristol in the 22nd minute but Jonny Roche restored Stormers’ advantage before the half-hour mark.

JJ Kotze was shown a 20-minute red card for head-to-head contact before the break, while a yellow card for Zas – resulting in a disallowed try – gave the Bears a significant numerical advantage that they took advantage of through a first try for the club from Sol Moody.

However, Roche then scored his second and the final 10 minutes was a horror show for Bristol as they conceded three more tries.

First, Warrick Gelant crossed, then Andre-Hugo Venter got in on the act before Zas ended an eventful game with his second – with all seven tries converted by Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.

Bath were dealt a second-half lesson by Montpellier as they fell to a 32-14 defeat at The Rec in their Pool 4 clash.

The home side led 14-10 at the interval after Ollie Lawrence and Arthur Green both scored tries following Stuart Hogg’s opener.

However, Joe Cokanasiga then wasted a golden opportunity to extend Bath’s advantage after the interval and the French side capitalised.

Donovan Taofifenua crossed in the corner to hand Montpellier the lead before he then intercepted Finn Russell’s pass to deliver a quickfire double.

Alex Becognee made the points safe for the visiting side after Josh Bayliss’ try for Bath was ruled out because of an earlier infringement.

In the other Pool 4 game, the Bulls beat Stade Français 21-6.