Toulouse sound early warning

European Cup Saturday's matches: Defending champions Toulouse and former winners Leicester Tigers, both emerged from the opening weekend with reputations enhanced, with Castres Olympique, Cardiff Blues and Perpignan also beginning their Cup challenges with first-round victories.

Toulouse blew away Llanelli 50-28 at Stade Ernest Wallon while Leicester convincingly despatched Clermont Auvergne 57-23, outhalf Andy Goode scoring 32 points, kicking five penalties and converting all six Leicester tries. Goode ended up just five points short of David Humphreys' competition match-scoring record of 39 points. Fullback Geordan Murphy was also on the score sheet with a try as well as making another.

Toulouse went one better against Llanelli and ran in seven tries reinforcing their rating as the Pool Six heavyweights.

Pool Two also produced a high-scoring game between Leeds and Cardiff. The Welsh side really took off against their English visitors in the second half and treated them to their eighth successive defeat of the season in a one-way 40-13 victory.

Perpignan were comfortable winners in the same pool against Italian side Calvisano. Their 25-6 win was convincing enough and they can now look forward to a home game against Cardiff.

Castres Olympique were also winners at home but Newport-Gwent Dragons made them work hard for it as the French side used their superior bulk up front to muscle a narrow 29-24 win. Munster will now have to face the huge French pack in their next outing, a prospect Declan Kidney may not relish. Props Kees Meeuws and Carl Hoeft, both All Blacks, were instrumental in the Castres win. The home side did come under pressure from the Welsh in the final quarter but held on for the five-point win.