Northampton beat Cardiff 28-12 to give the Premiership its first Champions Cup win of the round, with George Hendy starring.
Northampton have finally put England on the Champions Cup scoreboard. The Saints beat Cardiff 28-12 in Pool 4 and gave the Premiership its first win of the competition at the eighth attempt.
It was not a polished display. Cardiff pushed Northampton hard and gave them a real scare before the hosts pulled clear. Wing George Hendy was the standout, and his influence on the match was a big reason Saints came through.
The result matters beyond one pool game. Seven Premiership sides had already missed out on victory in the opening round, and a clean sweep of defeats would have been a heavy embarrassment for a league celebrated this season for its attacking rugby. Some of those results were far from disasters. Gloucester were superb in drawing with Bordeaux, and Exeter were unlucky to lose in Toulouse.
Still, one win from eight is hardly a statement. Northampton have at least spared the Premiership the worst possible start, but English clubs will need far sharper and more consistent performances in the rounds ahead if they want to challenge the best of Europe.
