THERE WERE MIXED fortunes for the Irish sides in the Heineken Cup today, as Leinster secured a 20-13 victory over the Scarlets, while Harlequins overcame a dogged Connacht side 30-22.
Meanwhile, in Italy, Australian-born Treviso fly-half Kristopher Burton hit four penalties in the first quarter of an hour to build up a 12-3 lead over Toulouse, before trading penalties with opposite number Luke McAlister, the former All Black.
Toulouse’s teenage hooker Christopher Tolofua was sinbinned and Treviso went into the break 18-9 up.
With more penalty trading early in the second half, Toulouse upped the ante and a penalty try and a five-pointer from marauding No 8 Louis Picamoles, both converted by McAlister, saw the French club suddenly move 26-21 ahead.
Veteran winger Vincent Clerc then claimed Toulouse’s third try of the afternoon, which ended with Tolofua seeing red with five minutes to play after the referee adjudged him to have used a spear tackle in clearing out a ruck.
Clermont picked up their second bonus-point victory with a 46-12 win at Exeter to top Pool 5 ahead of Leinster, having trailed 12-10 at the break.
The French scored six tries, five of them coming in a devastating second-half performance.
Napolini Nalaga and Wesley Fofana grabbed a brace apiece with Julien Bonnaire and Sitiveni Sivivatu also scoring.
Saracens, who beat Edinburgh 45-0 last week, made it two wins out of two in Pool 1 with a 30-13 win over Racing Metro in a match played at Brussels’ King Baudouin stadium.
The English side scored three tries through Chris Wyles, Steve Borthwick and Will Fraser with fly-half Charlie Hodgson kicking 15 points.
In Pool 3, Harlequins lead the way after a 30-22 win at Connacht which gave them a four-point advantage over Biarritz who saw off Zebre 38-17.
