Battling Cardiff lose to Northampton on top-tier return

Northampton edge to a nervy Champions Cup pool win against tenacious Cardiff at Franklin's Gardens. Northampton became the only English side to win in the opening round of the Champions Cup by battling past Cardiff. Saints, quarter-finalists last season, scored four tries at Franklin's Gardens in a nervy Pool Four encounter. The English champions led 14-0 at half-time thanks to efforts in tricky conditions by James Pater and Toby Thame. Tenacious Cardiff struck back through Harri Millard and Mason Grady to make it a two-point game in the final quarter. But George Hendy and Fraser Dingwall responded as Northampton got off to a winning start, albeit without a bonus point.

Northampton's success came at the end of a chastening opening weekend of the top-tier tournament for Prem clubs, with Gloucester drawing against champions Bordeaux-Begles but six other sides losing. Champions Cup recap: Relive wins for Northampton, Toulouse and Pau Cardiff's return to the top tier of Europe after two seasons in the Challenge Cup was a considerable one. Saints had scored 24 tries in their three opening fixtures of their Prem title defence, including 11 against Bath last time out at Franklin's Gardens. The Welsh side also had to contend with a five-day turnaround to a United Rugby Championship (URC) fixture against Sharks at Cardiff Arms Park. That led to