Champions Cup roundup: Bristol stun Springboks-laden Bulls with 61-49 win

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Bristol ran riot in a remarkable first half to secure their place in the Champions Cup knockout phase with a 61-49 victory over the Bulls in Pretoria. The South African hosts fielded 10 Springboks in their starting XV in the hope of registering a first win of the group campaign yet were still swept aside at Loftus Versfeld.

Bristol started like a freight train, running in three tries inside the opening 10 minutes and seven in total to build a interval 47-28 lead. Noah Heward crossed twice and there were also touch downs for Benhard Janse van Rensburg, Max Lahiff, Kalaveti Ravouvou and Kieran Marmion.

The Bulls offered more resistance in the second half but Bristol continued to fire shots with Heward completing his hat-trick, Pedro Rubiolo breaching the whitewash and Ravouvou running in his second.

A third win in three outings in the competition lifts the Bears to the top of Pool 4 above Northampton and Bordeaux, who meet at the Stade Chaban-Delmas on Sunday. On Saturday night in Pool 4, Scarlets host Pau in Llanelli.

Glasgow, who staged a remarkable comeback to beat Toulouse in the last round of matches, were too strong for another French side, Clermont Auvergne, who were bottom of Pool 1 after losing their two openers.

Huw Jones scores Glasgow’s first try at Clermont Auvergne.

The flanker Euan Ferrie got the opener after 10 minutes before the Scotland centre Huw Jones, playing his first game of the season, sliced through the midfield to dot down. The Scotland wing Kyle Steyn – another who was born in South Africa – made it 19-0 and, after George Moala replied, Glasgow took the bonus point when the No 8, Jack Dempsey, scored the Warriors’ fourth six minutes before half-time.

Trailing 26-7 at the break, Clermont closed the gap to just five points with a penalty try and a score by Irae Simone but Steyn’s second six minutes from time sealed the match, with a final 33-21 scoreline.

Later on Saturday in pool 1, there is the aquatic affair between Sale and their fellow Sharks from Durban. In Pool 3, Leinster host La Rochelle and Leicester are at home to Bayonne.