Champions Cup rugby round-up: Clermont Auvergne thrash Exeter, Ulster slip to defeat in France
Exeter 8-35 Clermont Auvergne
French heavyweights Clermont Auvergne made an immediate statement of intent in the European Champions Cup as they dealt Exeter's Pool Five qualification hopes a major setback at Sandy Park.
Exeter, who beat Clermont comfortably on home soil last season before being crushed in the return fixture, were blown away by first-half tries from flanker Julien Bardy, wing Noa Nakaitaci and centre Wesley Fofana during a devastatng 15-minute spell before they eventually subsided 35-8.
The current French Top leaders, beaten Champions Cup finalists in 2015, were ruthless in the final third.
And Exeter had no answer as former Bath full-back Nick Abendanon claimed a bonus-point touchdown just three minutes into the second period, before Fofana added another try, while scrum-half Morgan Parra kicked four conversions and substitute Pato Fernandez one.
Gareth Steenson kicked an early penalty for Exeter, and Sam Hill added a late try, yet even when they had spells of dominating possession, the home side could find no way through a superbly-organised Clermont defence until injury time.
Their victory might not have matched Saracens' defeat of Toulon in France on Saturday as the high point of this season's opening European weekend, but Clermont are majestically off and running in pursuit of a trophy they have never won.
Bordeaux-Begles 28-13 Ulster
Ulster slipped to defeat in their opening European Champions Cup game as three late tries by Bordeaux-Begles sealed victory for the French side at the Chaban-Delmas Stadium.
The away side led 13-9 with six minutes remaining after an early try from Andrew Trimble and eight points from the boot of Paddy Jackson.
Ireland international Ian Madigan registered nine points for Bordeaux before his side went on to claim victory with a trio of tries, to leave Ulster empty handed on their travels.
Replacement prop Sébastien Taofifenua was the first to score for the home side, wrestling over from close range on the back of a driving maul.
Bordeaux were awarded a penalty try after TV replays showed Baptiste Serin was tackled early by Sean Reidy, resulting in Reidy being sent to the bin.
The visitors were presented with the chance to secure a losing bonus point in the dying minutes, but Paul Marshall opted to take a quick tap penalty. But Ulster squandered possession, allowing Blair O’Connor to sprint the length of the pitch and score a final try for Bordeaux.