European Challenge Cup
Round-up: London Irish see off Cardiff
ESPN Staff
December 13, 2014
Exeter ran out easy winners against La Rochelle at Sandy Park © Getty Images
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London Irish beat Cardiff Blues 34-23 in Reading thanks to the boot of Tom Homer and a fine brace of tries from Andy Fenby. Despite an early try for Cory Allen, Homer's boot gave Irish control of the first half and by the time Fenby scored his second try midway through the second-half, the game was won. Kiwi fly-half Gareth Anscombe scored 18 points for the visitors, including a late try, but it was all in vain.

Irish go top of Pool A on points difference ahead of Cardiff with Grenoble sat four points behind both on 10 points thanks to their win over Rovigo. Veteran centre Shane Geraghty also crossed the whitewash for Irish as they sealed a crucial victory.

Exeter Chiefs made light work of La Rochelle for the second time in a fortnight, and indeed they never looked back after Kai Horstman scored before a minute had been played. They scored five more tries to extend their lead at the top of Pool 2. They had sealed their bonus-point by half-time thanks to scores from hooker Greg Bateman and winger Fetu'u Vainikolo, as well as a penalty try. Stand-in fly-half Ceri Sweeney added two conversions.

Without key players such as Thomas Waldrom, Jack Nowell, Sam Hill and Gareth Steenson, Exeter put in an impressive performance, and scored two more tries in the second period, thanks to winger Tom James and centre Adam Hughes. La rochelle scored twice in the second half themselves, thanks to Julien Berger and Arthur Cestaro.

Gloucester were the third English team to win on Saturday as they went to Zebre and came back with a bonus-point and a 16-32 win. Zebre were hamstrung when their replacement back was red-carded just four minutes after coming on shortly before the break for taking the man out in the air. At this stage the game was in the balance, with Gloucester' lead was just 10-6 thanks to the boot of James Hook and Steve McColl's try.

They scored three more tries in the second half through Henry Purdy, Charlie Sharples and in-form England No.8 Ben Morgan. To their credit, Zebre rallied well with 14 men, refusing to lie down and scoring two late tries through Giovanbattista Venditti and Dries van Schalkwyk. Gloucester sit comfortbaly at the top of Pool 5 , having won every game and picked up three bonus-points.

In the first of Saturday's European Challenge Cup matches, Grenoble beat Rovigo 20-17 in Italy, recovering after going into half-time seven points in arrears. Grenoble coach Bernard Jackman has spoken openly in recent weeks about his lack of interest in the Champions Cup but his team - largely second-string - notched their second win in as many weeks over the plucky Italians.

Davide Farolini booted Rovigo into a 12-5 half-time lead, with only a try from hooker Laurent Bouchet in response to his four penalties. After a raft of substitutions at the break, Bouchet scored again within a couple of minutes after the restart. Five minutes later winger Robinson Caire crossed to earn Grenoble the lead that could have been more emphatic had conversions been landed but that lead lasted only ten minutes as No.8 Emiliano Caffini crossed for the hosts.But Chris Farrell to seal the win - and bonus-point - for Grenoble, who played the last ten with 13 men due to two sin-binnings, with 18 minutes to go.

In an all-French clash, Oyonnax saw off Brive 22-17 as they chase Gloucester in Pool 5. Early tries for Roimata Hansell-Pune and Guillaume Bernad gave them a 15-10 half-time lead and a try each in the first ten minutes of the second-half completed the scoring.

Connacht earned a 29-27 Pool 2 victory against Bayonne thanks to Caolin Blade's late try. Saimoni Vaka and Matthieu Ugalde both went over for the hosts, with Christophe Loustalot converting both efforts.

The visitors hit back thanks to Blade's first try of the match but Bayonne held a narrow 17-16 lead at the break. Pierre Sayerse's try and two more successful kicks from Loustalot looked to have put the tie beyond doubt, but Miah Nikora hit back with two penalties before converting Blade's 77th-minute try to secure the win.

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