Cardiff sink Harlequins

Rugby – Heineken Cup Review:Harlequins made an uneventful return to the Heineken Cup as an error-riddled performance saw them slump 20-6 at Cardiff Blues.

The Blues, despite losing three players to injury before half-time, were good value for their Pool Five victory.

It was Quins' first European appearance since the 'Bloodgate' fake injury scandal led to bans for their former rugby director Dean Richards, ex-physio Steph Brennan and current wing Tom Williams.

Hard-nosed judges feel Quins should be nowhere near the competition this time around, but on the evidence of their opening game, this latest European adventure will be over well before the quarter-finals.

Outhalf Nick Evans, the injured goalkicker Richards tried to send on as replacement for Williams against Leinster six months ago, booted two penalties from four attempts.

Quins though, offered little in attack and the Blues were never seriously threatened.

Wings Tom James and Leigh Halfpenny scored tries that briefly illuminated a dire contest, while Blues fullback Ben Blair booted two conversions and two penalties.

Stade Francais romped to a four-try blitz in a convincing 31-7 victory over Edinburgh.

First-half tries from Julien Arias, Sergio Parisse, Pascal Pape and Lionel Beauxis ensured the bonus point was secured before the half-hour mark in Paris.

Edinburgh hit back in the second period and gained a late consolation score through Ben Cairns.

But the crushing loss was Edinburgh's 17th in their last 18 away outings in the Heineken Cup and consigned last season's victory at Castres to a distant memory.

In Pool One, Treviso recorded a shock 9-8 victory at home to Perpignan.

Three penalties from fly-half Marius Goosen were enough to give the Italians the edge by a solitary point at the Stadio Communale di Monigo.

Fullback Jerome Porical's late try went uncoverted for the visitors and that proved crucial in the outcome.

Yesterday Bob Casey enjoyed a happy homecoming as his London Irish side edged out defending champions Leinster 12-9 in a bruising Heineken Cup Pool Six encounter at the RDS.

Replacement Ryan Lamb emerged as the unlikely hero, putting his kicking demons behind him to boot two crucial second half penalties for Irish - the match-winning kick coming in the 80th minute.

Leinster will feel aggrieved as this was a match they could and should have won. They were the side that came closest to breaking the try deadlock, but they never built on a strong opening quarter.

Jonathan Sexton's third successful penalty of this defence-dominated clash levelled it with five minutes to go, only for Lamb to brilliantly steal the headlines with a thumping kick from just inside the hosts' half.

Peter Hewat kicked London Irish's other two penalties while Leinster do at least pick up a bonus point.

Nicky Robinson rescued Gloucester from the Heineken Cup abyss with a late penalty that helped them beat Newport-Gwent Dragons 19-17 at Kingsholm.

The Wales international fly-half kicked 14 points, but his match-winning strike in the Pool Two encounter did not arrive until five minutes from time.

The Dragons had been on course for a famous win - their first in 11 attempts against English opposition in the Heineken Cup.

They outscored Gloucester 2-1 on tries after outhalf James Arlidge and number eight Joe Bearman claimed first-half touchdowns.

But Robinson, a summer signing from Cardiff Blues, proved the difference, landing four penalties and converting flanker Akapusi Qera's 25th-minute touchdown.

Ulster opened their Pool Four campaign with a valuable 26-12 home win over Bath.

Outhalf Ian Humphreys again produced an eye-catching performance for the home side, scoring 16 points with the boot from three penalties, a drop goal and two conversions.

Ulster scored tries in either half from Fijian winger Timoci Nagusa and man of the match, flanker Willie Faloon, while a disappointing Bath could only manage four penalties from Ryan Davis.