Seven-try Sarries crush Tigers

Saracens, who return to the Heineken Champions Cup this season with hopes of lifting the trophy for a fourth time, underlined their credentials with a stunning 51-18 thrashing of Leicester Tigers in the Gallagher Premiership.

There were seven different try scorers for the hosts, with Alex Lozowski, Ben Earl, Max Malins and Ivan van Zyl going over in the first half before Elliot Daly, Theo McFarland and Sean Maitland rounded off a stunning display.

2017 EPCR European Player of the Year Owen Farrell converted four scores in addition to kicking two penalties.

Fellow Heineken Champions Cup side Leicester, who beat Saracens to secure last season’s Premiership trophy in June, had little answer but managed to cross in either half, through James Cronin and Freddie Steward.

Two hat-tricks for London Irish

London Irish, another side returning to the Heineken Champions Cup this season, also enjoyed an impressive home performance in the Premiership as they beat Bath Rugby 47-38 in an entertaining affair.

Ollie Hassell-Collins and Ben Loader both grabbed hat-tricks for Irish, who led by 30 points at the interval.

Bath went close to a remarkable turnaround with a spirited second half showing, but Paddy Jackson, who added six conversions, dotted down for a seventh score in the closing stages.

Hartzenberg double for DHL Stormers

In the United Rugby Championship (URC), DHL Stormers demonstrated their quality as they saw off Heineken Champions Cup opponents in Edinburgh Rugby, Suleiman Hartzenberg notching a brace late on to secure a 34-18 win for the South African outfit.

Edinburgh proved tricky adversaries in Cape Town, crossing through Pierre Schoeman and Dave Cherry, but DHL Stormers ultimately proved too strong as the game wore on.

Deon Fourie and Joseph Dweba had gone over for the hosts before Hartzenberg’s double ensured Sazi Sandi’s red card was largely insignificant. Manie Libbok’s 14 points from tee aided the Heineken Champions Cup newcomers’ cause.

Scannell brace gets Munster off the mark

Hooker Niall Scannell scored two tries as Munster Rugby grinded out their first win of the URC season, defeating Zebre Parma 21-5 at Musgrave Park.

Prop Keynon Knox also went over for the Irish province, quarter-finalists in last season’s Heineken Champions Cup, as they bounced back from two straight losses.

La Rochelle comeback against Racing

In the TOP 14, last season’s Heineken Champions Cup winners Stade Rochelais battled back from nine points down at half time to beat Racing 92 24-19 at Stade Marcel Deflandre.

In a scrappy contest, former Racing wing Teddy Thomas scored his first try for La Rochelle, going over with 12 minutes to play to swing the momentum in the hosts’ favour.

Pierre Boudehent’s score then wrapped the game up for La Rochelle, who had earlier dotted down through UJ Seuteni.

Three Finn Russell penalties and a Francis Saili try had put Racing in control, but they could only muster one further penalty, through Russell again, after break as they let their lead slip.

We’ve taken a look at the best of Saturday’s domestic action involving Heineken Champions Cup clubs, with Saracens catching the eye with a demolition of Leicester Tigers.