Premiership Rugby Cup: Ealing Trailfinders beat Northampton Saints while Jersey Reds win
- Published
Many of Northampton's star players are away at the World Cup in France
Ealing Trailfinders ran in eight tries to comfortably beat an inexperienced Northampton Saints side 48-22 in their Premiership Rugby Cup opener.
Saints selected eight debutants and quickly conceded tries from Nathan Earle, Simon Uzokwe and Dan O'Brien.
Mike Willemse and Earle's second gave Ealing a 31-10 half-time lead before Matt Cornish, Cian Kelleher and Jonah Holmes added tries after the break.
Championship champions Jersey Reds also won easily, 43-0 at London Scottish.
Ealing's victory was one of two for Championship sides against Premiership opposition on the opening weekend of the refreshed competition, after Coventry beat Saracens on Saturday, as sides from the second tier enter for the first time.
Northampton fielded only three first-choice players but scored the game's opening try through debutant wing Will Glister after just three minutes.
Glister's second try, shortly after half-time, gave Saints some hope of a revival but hooker Tom Cruse's late score was but a consolation.
Around the South Circular at the Richmond Athletic Ground, Jersey, who won the Championship last season, got their campaign off to a winning start, running in seven tries at London Scottish.
Debutant winger Pete Sullivan opened the scoring, with lock James Scott and full-back Brendan Owen also crossing before half-time to open up a 17-0 lead.
After the break, scrum-half James Elliott extended the advantage before replacement hooker James Hadfield was twice driven over in rolling mauls and back row Hallam Chapman, also off the bench, rounded off a dominant afternoon for Jersey.