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Champions Cup Thrills: Northampton Saints and Sale Sharks Shine

The recent weekend in the Investec Champions Cup saw several thrilling matches, with English teams making significant impacts. One of the standout performances came from the Northampton Saints, who navigated the challenging high altitude in Pretoria to defeat the Vodacom Bulls. Fin Smith's precise kicking and Tommy Freeman's double tries were crucial in securing a 30-21 victory for the Saints. This win maintains their perfect start in Pool 3 and sets them up for a strong run in the competition.

Another notable performance was from the Sale Sharks, who dominated Racing 92 in Manchester. After a tightly contested first half, Sale Sharks came out strong in the second, with Tom Roebuck's intercept and Joe Carpenter's try setting the tone. Ben Curry's try, aided by Racing’s Baudonne being in the sin bin, clinched the bonus point for Sale, resulting in a 29-7 win. Robert du Preez's penalty in the 66th minute further extended their lead.

Leicester Tigers also had a stellar weekend, dismantling the Hollywoodbets Sharks with a ruthless attacking display. Julian Montoya’s brace and standout tries from Ollie Hassell-Collins and Handre Pollard powered the Tigers to a first-half bonus point, ending the match 56-17 in their favor.

Defending champions Stade Rochelais continued their winning streak, securing a comfortable 35-7 victory over Bristol Bears. Levani Botia, UJ Seuteni, and Thomas Berjon contributed to the win, solidifying Stade Rochelais’ status as tournament favorites.

Top Performers:
- Fin Smith (Northampton Saints)
- Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks)
- Ben Curry (Sale Sharks)
- Julian Montoya (Leicester Tigers)
- Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers)

Scores:
- Vodacom Bulls 21-30 Northampton Saints
- Sale Sharks 29-7 Racing 92
- Leicester Tigers 56-17 Hollywoodbets Sharks
- Stade Rochelais 35-7 Bristol Bears

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