Northampton sole English winner in Champions Cup opening round

Summarised from 4 outlets · Updated 18 Oct, 19:56 · Archive

Northampton beat Cardiff 28-12 in the Champions Cup, becoming the only English Premiership side to win in the opening round.

Northampton beat Cardiff 28-12 at Franklin's Gardens to become the only English Premiership side to win in the opening round of the Champions Cup. Saints scored four tries through James Pater, Toby Thame, George Hendy and Fraser Dingwall, leading 14-0 at half-time. Cardiff, making their return to the top tier of European rugby after two seasons in the Challenge Cup, struck back with tries from Harri Millard and Mason Grady to make it a tightly contested final quarter.

Cardiff's position was complicated by having to play just five days after this fixture, in a United Rugby Championship match against Sharks at Cardiff Arms Park. The Welsh side heavily rotated their squad, holding back influential players but giving first appearances of the season to Wales and Lions internationals Taulupe Faletau and Josh Adams. Coach Corniel van Zyl left out back-rowers Alex Mann and James Botham, as well as captain Liam Belcher.

Northampton's victory came at the end of a difficult opening weekend for English Premiership clubs, with seven sides losing and only Gloucester drawing against champions Bordeaux-Begles. Saints, last season's quarter-finalists, won without claiming a bonus point as they prepare for a fixture against Leicester on Saturday.

How it is being reported

• Northampton become first Prem side to win in this season’s Champions CupNorthampton became the first Gallagher Prem team to win in the Investec Champions Cup this season as they earned a hard-fought 28-12 victory over Cardiff.Sky Sports · 18 Oct, 21:12
• Northampton's 28-12 win over Cardiff saves some face for English rugby after a reality check in the Champions Cup opening weekend - and Saints have another star in the England mix, writes ALEX BYWATERALEX BYWATER AT DPD STADIUM AT FRANKLIN'S GARDENS: But the opening weekend of the 2026-27 Champions Cup has provided something of a reality check.Daily Mail Sport · 18 Oct, 21:08
• Northampton break England’s duck in Champions Cup with victory over CardiffPool 4: Northampton 28-12 Cardiff Saints claim first win for Prem side at eighth time of asking At 7.16pm, just around the time those Sunday night blues kick in, England’s Champions Cup cohort finally had something to cheer about. It was not pretty but after seven of their Prem rivals had failed to claim victory in the opening round of the competition, Saints survived a sizeable scare from Cardiff to put one on the board for the Prem. It might be harsh on some of the performances this weekend – Gloucester were immense in drawing with Bordeaux, Exeter mightily unlikely to be beaten in…Guardian Sport · 18 Oct, 19:31
• Northampton beat Cardiff for only English win of Champions Cup openersNorthampton edge to a nervy Champions Cup pool win against tenacious Cardiff at Franklin's Gardens.BBC News · 18 Oct, 19:23

In this story: Northampton · Cardiff · Gloucester · Leicester · Bordeaux-Begles · Franklin's Gardens · Cardiff Arms Park

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