A great weekend for the Irish provinces in the Champions Cup as all three won their opening game in this season’s competition. It was an emotional 33-25 win for Munster over French club Racing 92 in Cork. Everybody in Munster remembers their former captain Anthony Foley, who died suddenly in Paris on Oct.16, 2016 at the age of 42. Foley’s widow Olive presented the jerseys to the Munster team during the week and she attended the Captain’s run on Friday. Munster left their traditional home of Thomond Park in Limerick and moved the game to the larger capacity Pairc Ui Chaoimh in Cork. At the final whistle a large group of players, coaches and staff gathered in the middle of the Cork pitch to sing the Munster anthem ‘‘Stand Up and Fight.’’
Leinster produced a fine second-half display to record a bonus-point 48-23 win against Clermont at Stade Marcel-Michelin. Leo Cullen’s team trailed by a point at half-time despite out-scoring the hosts two tries to one, but they cut loose on the restart, Sam Prendergast's ingenious try setting them on their way to a comfortable victory. Connacht coach Stuart Lancaster said his team’s 45-36 win over English club Saracens at the Dexcom Stadium in Galway was the perfect response to a heavy defeat to Glasgow in the URC the previous week. Cian Prendergast and Ciaran Frawley scored two tries apiece as Connacht turned on the style in Galway, with Cathal Forde, Shamus Hurley-Langton and Caolin Blade also crossing the line. In the second tier Challenge Cup Ulster had their first win of the season, beating Zebre 40-21 in Italy.
