Anthony Foley 1973 – 2016
A dark shadow was cast over the opening weekend of the European club season following the tragic passing in Paris of Munster Rugby Head Coach and former captain, Anthony Foley.
Anthony Foley made 86 appearances for Munster in the European Cup between 1995 and 2008 and famously captained the Irish province to their first tournament success in 2006.
He also won 62 caps for Ireland and led his country on three occasions. He took over as Munster Head Coach in 2014.
Tributes have been paid to the Ireland and Munster legend from all corners of the rugby world. Munster Rugby’s Champions Cup game against Racing 92 was postponed as a mark of respect and will be rescheduled.
A minute’s silence in Anthony’s memory was also observed before the Exeter Chiefs v ASM Clermont Auvergne game at Sandy Park.
In a statement issued yesterday, EPCR Chairman, Simon Halliday, said: “On behalf of EPCR, I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to Anthony’s family and to everyone associated with Munster and Irish rugby. He was a magnificent player and a superb coach and he will be sorely missed.”
Round 1 Notes
- Holders Saracens made it a club record 10 tournament wins in a row with their outstanding 31-23 success over RC Toulon at Stade Mayol. It was Toulon’s first home defeat in the Champions Cup and the result was a measure of revenge for Sarries who lost to the TOP 14 side in the 2013 semi-final and the 2014 final.
- Not content with his two tries and a Heineken Man of the Match award in Glasgow Warriors’ storming bonus-point win over Leicester Tigers, Italian wing Leonardo Sarto also made the most metres (150) of any player in Round 1 of the tournament.
- In-form Wasps were busy rewriting their European record books after they blitzed Zebre at the Ricoh Arena in Pool 1. Their 82 points and 12 tries were both tournament records for the club.
- Georgia prop, Davit Zirakashvili, made his 50th European Cup appearance for ASM Clermont Auvergne as they grabbed a precious bonus-point win over Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park where 2015 EPCR European Player of the Year, Nick Abendanon, was among the try scorers.
- After their famous win in Toulouse in 2013, Connacht have now completed the double over the four-time champions. Centre Bundee Aki starred in the 23-21 victory at The Sportsground which saw the home team power back from a 10-point half time deficit to take the spoils.
- With the Scarlets kicking in off in style after last season’s disappointment with a 28-11 home win over Sale Sharks in Pool 3, it also turned out to be a strong start for the Welsh regions. The Ospreys, Cardiff Blues and Newport Gwent Dragons also all registered victories in the Challenge Cup to give Wales a first European clean sweep since Round 1 in the 2011/12 season.
- Louis Picamoles got off to a winning European start with Northampton Saints who edged out France No 8’s first club, Montpellier, 16-14, thanks to a Stephen Myler penalty at the death.
- Ian Madigan won the tussle of the Ireland out-halves as Bordeaux-Bègles got the better of Paddy Jackson’s Ulster in Pool 5 at Stade Chaban-Delmas where three late tries made the difference in a 28-13 win for the TOP 14 side.
- Another Irish No 10, 20-year-old Joey Carbery, made an impressive European debut when deputising for the injured Johnny Sexton in Leinster’s 33-15 bonus point win over Castres at the RDS Arena.
- A total of 53 tries were scored in the nine ties played last weekend at average of 5.8 per game, with an overall points total of 450 at an average of 50 per game.
2016/17 Champions Cup – Leading Scorers
Points
Rank Player Team Matches Points 1 Owen Farrell Saracens 1 16 2 Finn Russell Glasgow Warriors 1 14 3 Isa Nacewa Leinster Rugby 1 13 3 Leigh Halfpenny RC Toulon 1 13 3 Rhys Patchell Scarlets 1 13 6 Danny Cipriani Wasps 1 12 7 Francois Steyn Montpellier 1 11 7 Stephen Myler Northampton Saints 1 11 9 DTH Van Der Merwe Scarlets 1 10 9 Federico Ruzza Zebre Rugby 1 10 9 Joe Simpson Wasps 1 10 9 Leonardo Sarto Glasgow Warriors 1 10 9 Rob Miller Wasps 1 10 9 Sean Cronin Leinster Rugby 1 10 9 Wesley Fofana ASM Clermont Auvergne 1 10 9 Jimmy Gopperth Wasps 1 10 Tries
Rank Player Team Matches Tries 1 DTH Van Der Merwe Scarlets 1 2 1 Federico Ruzza Zebre Rugby 1 2 1 Joe Simpson Wasps 1 2 1 Leonardo Sarto Glasgow Warriors 1 2 1 Rob Miller Wasps 1 2 1 Sean Cronin Leinster Rugby 1 2 1 Wesley Fofana ASM Clermont Auvergne 1 2 8 36 Players – – 1 - 2016/17 Champions Cup – Top Performers
Carries
Rank Player Team Matches Carries 1 Niyi Adeolokun Connacht Rugby 1 19 1 Sam Hill Exeter Chiefs 1 19 3 Bundee Aki Connacht Rugby 1 18 3 Thomas Waldrom Exeter Chiefs 1 18 5 Jamie Heaslip Leinster Rugby 1 17 6 Ashley Johnson Wasps 1 16 6 Liam Williams Scarlets 1 16 8 Alex Tulou Castres Olympique 1 15 8 Ollie Devoto Exeter Chiefs 1 15 10 Ben Foden Northampton Saints 1 14 10 Cian Kelleher Connacht Rugby 1 14 10 Frank Halai Wasps 1 14 10 Jandré Marais Bordeaux-Bègles 1 14 10 Joey Carbery Leinster Rugby 1 14 10 Louis Picamoles Northampton Saints 1 14 10 Luke Jones Bordeaux-Bègles 1 14 Metres
Rank Player Team Matches Metres 1 Leonardo Sarto Glasgow Warriors 1 150 2 Tiernan O’Halloran Connacht Rugby 1 127 3 Ben Foden Northampton Saints 1 120 4 Cian Kelleher Connacht Rugby 1 111 5 Josh Bassett Wasps 1 107 6 Louis Picamoles Northampton Saints 1 102 6 Mike Haley Sale 1 102 8 Blair Connor Bordeaux-Bègles 1 99 9 Stuart Hogg Glasgow Warriors 1 94 10 Gabriele Di Giulio Zebre Rugby 1 93 Try Assists
Rank Player Team Matches Try Assists 1 Danny Cipriani Wasps 1 2 1 Jamie George Saracens 1 2 1 Joe Simpson Wasps 1 2 1 Rhys Patchell Scarlets 1 2 1 Sebastien Bezy Toulouse 1 2 6 22 Players – – 1 Clean Breaks
Rank Player Team Matches Clean Breaks 1 Wesley Fofana ASM Clermont Auvergne 1 5 2 Joey Carbery Leinster Rugby 1 4 2 Leonardo Sarto Glasgow Warriors 1 4 4 Bundee Aki Connacht Rugby 1 3 4 Cian Kelleher Connacht Rugby 1 3 4 Craig Ronaldson Connacht Rugby 1 3 4 Gareth Davies Scarlets 1 3 4 Joe Simpson Wasps 1 3 4 Kyle Eastmond Wasps 1 3 4 Maxime Medard Toulouse 1 3 Defenders Beaten
Rank Player Team Matches Defenders Beaten 1 Joey Carbery Leinster Rugby 1 11 2 Wesley Fofana ASM Clermont Auvergne 1 10 3 Josua Tuisova RC Toulon 1 9 4 Leonardo Sarto Glasgow Warriors 1 8 5 Ollie Devoto Exeter Chiefs 1 7 6 Ashley Johnson Wasps 1 6 6 Bundee Aki Connacht Rugby 1 6 6 Cian Kelleher Connacht Rugby 1 6 6 Jean-Marcellin Buttin Bordeaux-Bègles 1 6 10 Louis Picamoles Northampton Saints 1 5 Offloads
Rank Player Team Matches Offloads 1 Bundee Aki Connacht Rugby 1 5 2 Gregory Lamboley Toulouse 1 4 2 Joe Tekori Toulouse 1 4 2 Mamuka Gorgodze RC Toulon 1 4 2 Ollie Devoto Exeter Chiefs 1 4 6 Garry Ringrose Leinster Rugby 1 3 6 Jake Heenan Connacht Rugby 1 3 6 Sebastien Tillous-Borde RC Toulon 1 3 9 25 Players – – 2 Tackles
Rank Player Team Matches Tackles Missed Tackles 1 Julien Bardy ASM Clermont Auvergne 1 25 1 2 François Cros Toulouse 1 21 1 3 Benjamin Kayser ASM Clermont Auvergne 1 18 1 4 Billy Vunipola Saracens 1 17 0 4 David Bulbring Scarlets 1 17 1 6 Jake Ball Scarlets 1 16 0 6 Jonny Gray Glasgow Warriors 1 16 0 8 Flip van der Merwe ASM Clermont Auvergne 1 15 2 8 Ken Owens Scarlets 1 15 3 10 Aaron Shingler Scarlets 1 14 1 10 Alex Tulou Castres Olympique 1 14 0 10 Brad Barritt Saracens 1 14 1 10 Iain Henderson Ulster Rugby 1 14 3 10 Matteo Pratichetti Zebre Rugby 1 14 0 10 Rodrigo Capo Ortega Castres Olympique 1 14 0 10 Sebastien Vahaamahina ASM Clermont Auvergne 1 14 0 10 Victor Moreaux Castres Olympique 1 14 1 10 Yann David Toulouse 1 14 0 Lineouts
Rank Player Team Matches Lineouts Won (inc. steals) 1 Hugh Chalmers Bordeaux-Bègles 1 10 2 Antoine Battut Montpellier 1 8 2 George Kruis Saracens 1 8 4 Charles Ollivon RC Toulon 1 7 4 Devin Toner Leinster Rugby 1 7 4 Graham Kitchener Leicester Tigers 1 7 4 Kai Horstmann Exeter Chiefs 1 7 4 Michael Fitzgerald Leicester Tigers 1 7 9 Geoff Parling Exeter Chiefs 1 6 9 Iain Henderson Ulster Rugby 1 6 9 James Gaskell Wasps 1 6 Disciplinary Update
Yellow Cards
ASM Clermont Auvergne
- Flip van der Merwe (52) v Exeter Chiefs Rd 1
Castres Olympique
- Thibault Lassalle (60) v Leinster Rugby Rd 1
Glasgow Warriors
- Ryan Wilson (18) v Leicester Tigers Rd 1
Leicester Tigers
- Matt Toomua (12) v Glasgow Warriors Rd 1
- Logovi’i Mulipola (58) v Glasgow Warriors Rd 1
Leinster Rugby
- Luke McGrath (39) v Castres Olympique Rd 1
RC Toulon
- Ma’a Nonu (45) v Saracens Rd 1
Sale Sharks
- Ross Harrison (47) v Scarlets Rd 1
- Andrei Ostrikov (62) v Scarlets Rd 1
Saracens
- Maro Itoje (53) v RC Toulon Rd 1
- Schalk Burger (71) v RC Toulon Rd 1
Ulster Rugby
- Sean Reidy (75) v Bordeaux-Bègles Rd 1
Zebre Rugby
- Dries van Schalkwyk (11) v Wasps Rd 1
- Carlo Festuccia (47) v Wasps Rd 1
- TABLES
Pool 1 Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA Diff TF TA TB LB Pts 1 Glasgow Warriors 1 1 0 0 42 13 29 5 1 1 0 5 2 Munster Rugby 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 Racing 92 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 Leicester Tigers 1 0 0 1 13 42 -29 1 5 0 0 0 Pool 2 Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA Diff TF TA TB LB Pts 1 Wasps 1 1 0 0 82 14 68 12 2 1 0 5 2 Connacht Rugby 1 1 0 0 23 21 2 3 2 0 0 4 3 Toulouse 1 0 0 1 21 23 -2 2 3 0 1 1 4 Zebre Rugby 1 0 0 1 14 82 -68 2 12 0 0 0 Pool 3 Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA Diff TF TA TB LB Pts 1 Scarlets 1 1 0 0 28 11 17 3 1 0 0 4 2 Saracens 1 1 0 0 31 23 8 3 2 0 0 4 3 RC Toulon 1 0 0 1 23 31 -8 2 3 0 0 0 4 Sale Sharks 1 0 0 1 11 28 -17 1 3 0 0 0 Pool 4 Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA Diff TF TA TB LB Pts 1 Leinster Rugby 1 1 0 0 33 15 18 5 2 1 0 5 2 Northampton Saints 1 1 0 0 16 14 2 1 1 0 0 4 3 Montpellier 1 0 0 1 14 16 -2 1 1 0 1 1 4 Castres Olympique 1 0 0 1 15 33 -18 2 5 0 0 0 Pool 5 Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA Diff TF TA TB LB Pts 1 ASM Clermont Auvergne 1 1 0 0 35 8 27 5 1 1 0 5 2 Bordeaux-Bègles 1 1 0 0 28 13 15 3 1 0 0 4 3 Ulster Rugby 1 0 0 1 13 28 -15 1 3 0 0 0 4 Exeter Chiefs 1 0 0 1 8 35 -27 1 5 0 0 0 - Round 2 fixtures
Date Time Pool Home Away Venue 21/10/2016 19:45 3 Sale Sharks RC Toulon AJ Bell Stadium 22/10/2016 13:00 1 Munster Rugby Glasgow Warriors Thomond Park 22/10/2016 16:15 4 Castres Olympique Northampton Saints Stade Pierre Antoine 22/10/2016 16:15 5 ASM Clermont Auvergne Bordeaux-Bègles Stade Marcel-Michelin 22/10/2016 17:30 3 Saracens Scarlets Allianz Park 22/10/2016 19:45 5 Ulster Rugby Exeter Chiefs Kingspan Stadium 23/10/2016 14:00 4 Montpellier Leinster Rugby Altrad Stadium 23/10/2016 16:15 2 Toulouse Wasps Stade Ernest Wallon 23/10/2016 16:15 2 Zebre Rugby Connacht Rugby Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi 23/10/2016 17:30 1 Leicester Tigers Racing 92 Welford Road