Wise, Nalaga score in Euro Cup opener

Former Fiji 7s flyer Waisea 'Wise' Nayacalevu scored a double while Napolioni Nalaga and Sitiveni Sivivatu scored one each in their respective club’s European Rugby Cup matches this morning.

Nayacalevu scored twice in Stade Francais’ convincing 69-19 win over London Welsh in their opening game of the Amlin Challenge Cup while Nalaga and Sivivatu scored the first and last of Clermont’s six tries in their 49-16 win over Deacon Manu’s Scarlets in their round one Heineken Cup clash. Manu started off the bench.

Other Fijians who featured in round one of the Heineken Cup include Masi Matadigo (No.8) and Virimi Vakatawa (started off the bench) in Racing Metro's 22-17 win over Munster.

Defending champs Leinster with Isa Nacewa at No.11 were made to work very hard to grind out a 9-6 victory over Heineken Cup newcomers and Sireli Naqelevuki's Exeter Chiefs in Dublin. Seremaia Burotu started at inside centre in Biarritz's 13-40 loss to English champions Harlequins.

In matches played Saturday, former Suva Grammar School Deans captain Manoa Vosawai scored in Treviso’s 17-38 loss to Ospreys while Seremaia Bai started at outside centre in Castres' 17-41 loss to Ulster.

Other Heineken Cup matches saw Edinburgh lost to Saracens 0-45, as Zebre lost to Connacht 19-10.

Meanwhile, in other Amlin Challenge Cup games, Bath accounted for Bucuresti, French giants Perpignan thrashed Rovigo 79-12, Worcester thrashed Spanish champions Gernika 87-5, Agen edged Calvisano 36-31, London Irish accounted for Bordeaux Beagles 43-16 and London Wasps beat Dragons 38-25.

European Cup standings after today’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, points for, points against, bonus points, total points):

Pool 1
Saracens 1 1 0 0 45 0 1 5
Racing Metro 1 1 0 0 22 17 0 4
Munster 1 0 0 1 17 22 1 1
Edinburgh 1 0 0 1 0 45 0 0

Pool 2
Ospreys 1 1 0 0 38 17 1 5
Treviso 1 0 0 1 17 38 0 0
Leicester 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Toulouse 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Pool 3
Harlequins 1 1 0 0 40 13 1 5
Connacht 1 1 0 0 19 10 0 4
Zebre 1 0 0 1 10 19 0 0
Biarritz 1 0 0 1 13 40 0 0

Pool 4
Ulster 1 1 0 0 41 17 1 5
Castres 1 0 0 1 17 41 0 0
Glasgow 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Northampton 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Pool 5
Clermont 1 1 0 0 49 16 1 5
Leinster 1 1 0 0 9 6 0 4
Exeter 1 0 0 1 6 9 1 1
Scarlets 1 0 0 1 16 49 0 0

Pool 6
Cardiff Blues 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Montpellier 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Sale 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Toulon 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

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