Opening night joy for Northampton fans

The Saints marched to a resounding victory that stunned the 9,000 home fans and earned them a vital bonus point in Pool 2.

It was the Guinness Premiership side's biggest away win in the tournament and improved on their 38-29 win at the same venue in their first European match way back in 1996.

With half backs Ben Foden and Steve Myler to the fore, the English club made light work of a club that, like them, have returned to the top league in their country this season. But where Brive, Bourgoin and ASM Clermont Auvergne had failed this season, Bruce Reihana's Saints found no real difficulty.

Toulon, who started with only one of their nine internationals, drew first blood with a penalty from outside half Sebastien Fauque after only two minutes, but after that it was one-way traffic. The Saints were 30-3 to the good by half-time and then added a further four tries after the break.

The cultured boot of outside half Steve Myler also provided a major contribution as the former rugby league star landed five conversions and three penalties for a match tally of 19 points. His fleet-footed half-back partner, Foden, was also in sparkling form, breaking from deep to set up a first-half try for centre Joe Ansbro's first try and then he notched a solo effort from 55 metres in the second half.

Having fallen behind at the start, a burst of 17 points in six minutes at the end of the first quarter put the visitors in control. Two more Myler penalties and a try from Paul Diggin moments after coming onto the field as a blood replacement made it a 27 point gap at the break.

Chris Ashton latched onto a kick through from Reihana to secure the bonus point after 57 minutes and then Foden, Ansbro and replacement scrum half Lee Dickson rounded off