Saracens eye last 16 as English clubs mount a French resistance

Saracens took another major stride towards the last 16 on Sunday with a hard-fought win at Stade Francais as English clubs put on a much-improved showing in round two of the Investec Champions Cup pool stage.

After Premiership sides mustered a feeble two victories from eight games in round one of European rugby’s premier club competition last week, England gave their French rivals a run for their money with five wins over the weekend.

Top 14 teams won six out of eight for the second week running, underlining their status as favourites to keep the trophy across the Channel for a fifth year running, but this time at least the balance of power was undecided until the final fixture of the round.

Earlier in the day, Saracens made it nine points from two games with a 28-17 victory in Paris that turned on a first-half red card shown to Stade Francais flanker Sekou Macalou for swinging an arm into the face of Ivan van Zyl.

Before that, the hosts were 10-0 up and looking set to build on a formidable home record that had seen them win 16 of their previous 18 games at Stade Jean Bouin, but they failed to heed the warnings of their head coach Paul Gustard.

Last week they lost 33-7 at Munster after what former Saracens and England coach Gustard called “four minutes of craziness”, in which not one but two second rows, Pierre Azagoh and Baptiste Pesenti, were sent off early in the second half. 

A week later and Stade Francais’s indiscipline cost them again. Not only was Macalou dismissed after helping to set up the opening score for Peniasi Dakuwaqa, but Tanginoa Halaifonua and Hugo N’Diaye also had spells in the sin-bin.

Wales wing Liam Williams punished the hosts by collecting Elliot Daly’s long pass and marking his first match since returning to Saracens from Japan with a try. With the hosts down to 13 men, Jamie George forced his way over following a rolling maul.

Leo Barre’s try gave Stade Francais fans hope but, after N’Diaye was sent to the sidelines, Theo Dan went over to secure the four points for Saracens and keep them one point behind Pool 3 leaders Northampton Saints.

Winless Exeter’s troubled start to the season continued as they shipped 10 tries in a 64-21 home defeat by holders Toulouse.

Chiefs did at least cross three times of their own but remain on zero points in Pool 1, where Toulouse and Bordeaux have taken maximum returns. 

Bath are facing an early exit from the Champions Cup after coach Johann van Graan paid the price for making wholesale changes to his team in a last-gasp 22-21 defeat at Benetton. 

The Premiership leaders came back from 17-7 down at half-time to lead in Italy but Bautista Bernasconi’s 80th-minute try broke their hearts and left them second bottom of Pool 2. 

In Sunday’s other game Toulon edged out Pool 4 rivals Glasgow 30-29, although the Scottish side left with the consolation of two bonus points.