The first leg of the second round of the European Challenge Cup is complete, and wily old coach Dean Richard's Grenoble are one of the teams sitting on big leads before next weekend's action...
England star Jason Robinson showed that he isn't just a brilliant try-scorer by dropping a goal in the Sharks' impressive 33-15 European Challenge Cup victory in France.
Robinson slotted a 30-metre goal as the Zurich Premiership heavyweights set themselves up for a comfortable 18-point victory ahead of next weekend's return match at Edgeley Park.
Big winger Steve Hanley opened the scoring with a well-taken try in the first half, but the French club hit back to trail only 15-16 at the break. Some quality goal-kicking from England fly-half Charlie
Hodgson kept the Sharks in front, and hooker Sebastien Bruno powered his way over early in the second half to give his side some breathing space.
Huge prop Andrew Sheridan ended the scoring with a try and Sale kept an increasingly frustrated Narbonne side scoreless in the second 40 minutes.
Saracens coach Rod Kafer said his side couldn't cope with "the worst pitch I've ever seen in my life" as they were stunned 19-18 by Rugby Parma at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi.
London Irish lost to Pau 25-19, after trailing 20-10 at halftime.
Winger Mathieu Dourthe scored the home side's opening try and veteran scrum-half Philippe Carbonneau added another in a confidence-boosting victory. Prop Doug Wheatley scored the Exiles' only try, with Barry Everett kicking 14 points.
Italy international Roland De Marigny kicked five goals as Saracens failed to get a grip with the water-logged pitch and some confusing decisions from French referee Jean-Pierre Mathieu. Sar
acens clawed their way back into the match with second-half tries to hooker Matt Cairns and fullback Thomas Castaignede, but De Marigny's accurate boot kept his side in front until the final whistle.
"We're disappointed, but it's only halftime," former Wallaby Kafer said. "We look forward to welcoming these guys back to Vicarage Road next weekend.
"This had to be the worst pitch I've ever seen in my life. We couldn't do anything on it except kick the ball."
Irish side Connacht mauled Montpellier 56-3 at the Sportsground, with fly-half Paul Warwick bagging 26 points in another impressive display.
Connacht ran in four tries in the first half to lead 26-3, and coasted to a comfortable win despite coach Mike Bradley clearing his bench when the game was in the bag.
On Friday Tonga international Suka Hufanga rounded off a perfect away day for Grenoble with a try on the stroke of time to ensure his team beat Bezier 27-12 and go into next weekend's second round, second leg tie at Stade Lesdiguieres with a handy advantage over their French rivals.
At stake is a place in the quarter-finals of the European Challenge Cup and, after outscoring Beziers by three tries to one, Grenoble are strong favourites to reach the last eight for the first time.
Beziers may have taken the lead with a snap drop goal after only two minutes from outside half Maxime Suarez, but the first of Grenoble's three tries by scrum half Johann Authier steadied their nerves.
His half-back partner Jean-Victor Bertrand added the conversion and then kicked a penalty to extend the lead.
By the break a second try from back row man Gwendall Ollivier ensured the visitors' led 20-9 going into the second half. A third penalty from centre Henri Vermis briefly brought Beziers back into contention, but Hufanga's last gasp try gave Grenoble the perfect result.
In Sunday's match, Scottish side Borders were mauled 44-14 by a Stephen Jones-inspired Clermont Auvergne in a European Challenge Cup match at Parc des Sports Marcel-Michelin.
The Wales international kicked 19 points in a one-sided match, with Borders' only try coming from winger Stuart Moffat early in the second half.
Clermont's Argentinian backrower Gonzalo Longo scored two tries as his side took a 17-3 lead at the break before
