Cooney kicks Ulster to victory at Clermont

Ulster Rugby produced an impressive display to win 29-23 against ASM Clermont Auvergne in their Heineken Champions Cup Pool A game at Stade Marcel-Michelin.

Scrum-half John Cooney tallied 19 points for Ulster and opened the scoring with three penalties in the first 13 minutes.

Centre Stuart McCloskey then notched the first try of the afternoon – which Cooney converted – to put the Irish province 16-0 up.

Clermont responded through a Damian Penaud try – the first of two for the France centre – before Cooney and JJ Hanrahan exchanged penalties to reduce the deficit to 19-10 at the break.

Penaud doubled his tally midway through the second half, with Hanrahan giving the French side their first lead of the contest soon afterwards with a penalty.

However, back-row forward Nick Timoney regained the advantage for the Irish province with a 62nd minute try, a lead they extended via the boot of Cooney.

Hanrahan added a third penalty for the hosts in the dying seconds of the contests, but it was the Irish province who squeezed home.

Big guns off the mark

Eventual Heineken Champions Cup winners Stade Rochelais began their season with a 20-13 home win over Glasgow Warriors, Red Wardi and Eneriko Buliruarua dotting down for the French side.

Beaten finalists Leinster Rugby showcased their pedigree with a 45-20 home victory over Bath Rugby, Jamison Gibson-Park notching a brace in the Irish province’s seven-try performance.

2020 winners Exeter Chiefs ran out 42-6 winners over Montpellier Hérault Rugby, a hat-trick for lock Jonny Gray the highlight for the hosts, who chalked up six tries in total.

Elsewhere, five-time winners and defending champions Stade Toulousain stormed to a 39-7 victory at Cardiff Rugby thanks to five tries – from Anthony Jelonch, Pita Ahki, Antoine Dupont, Arthur Bonneval and Joe Tekori.

Round 1 results:

Northampton Saints 14 Racing 92 45

Bristol Bears 28 Scarlets 0*

Cardiff Rugby 7 Stade Toulousain 39

Union Bordeaux-Bègles 13 Leicester Tigers 16

Leinster Rugby 45 Bath Rugby 20

ASM Clermont Auvergne 23 Ulster Rugby 29

Exeter Chiefs 42 Montpellier Hérault Rugby 6

Connacht Rugby 36 Stade Français Paris 9

Ospreys 13 Sale Sharks 21

Stade Rochelais 20 Glasgow Warriors 13

Wasps 14 Munster Rugby 35

Castres Olympique 18 Harlequins 20

*Cancelled game

We begin our recap of a thrilling Heineken Champions Cup season with a look at the opening round, which saw Ulster Rugby pick up a fine win at ASM Clermont Auvergne.