LONDON, 1 November 2004 — Wasps made it two wins out of two in their Heineken Cup defense when they beat Calvisano 31-22 in Italy but Pool One proved as tough as predicted with Premiership leaders Leicester losing 23-8 in Biarritz.
Last season’s runners-up Toulouse, Stade Francais, Leinster, Northampton, Munster and Newcastle also collected their second victories in the second week of action in Europe’s premier club competition. Wasps felt able to rest some of their big names, including former England captain Lawrence Dallaglio, and one of the new boys, winger Michael Roberts, grabbed his opportunity with a hat trick of tries.
Wasps top Pool One after their opening win over Biarritz but face a huge game in the next round at the start of December against a Leicester team who cannot afford another defeat. Pool Three already looks clear-cut with Toulouse and Northampton way out in front at the top. Toulouse thrashed Glasgow 43-17, the game over by halftime by which time the French had already scored four tries.
Northampton shook off five successive Premiership defeats to thump Llanelli 25-3, with fullback Bruce Reihana behind much of their good work. Stade Francais top Pool Six after an impressive 38-15 win in Cardiff but Gloucester, beaten by the French last week, are back in the hunt after a six-try 55-13 thrashing of Ulster.
Leinster’s 30-11 win over Bath in Pool Two was spoiled by a groin injury to Gordon D’Arcy which could rule the Ireland centre out of the November internationals.
Treviso moved second with a shock 34-0 thumping of Bourgoin in France as Italy winger Denis Dallan grabbed a hat trick of tries.
Munster were involved in a real ding-dong battle in Wales before emerging 20-18 winners over Neath-Swansea. Harlequins ended their eight-match losing streak but ended up disappointed after a 23-23 home draw with Castres, who are second in Pool Four with seven points.
Newcastle followed up last week’s unexpected success in Newport with another impressive win, 19-14 at home to 2003 runners-up Perpignan, to top Pool Five.
In the other Pool Five game Newport Gwent pulled off a 17-13 win at Edinburgh to prevent a second successive clean sweep of defeats for the four Welsh teams.
