Leinster threw down a marker to their European rivals as they thumped Racing 92 42-10 on the road in their Champions Cup opener.
Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Garry Ringrose, Josh van der Flier (2) and Ed Byrne scored for the visitors, with Ross and Harry Byrne adding extra points.
Former England international Christian Wade claimed Racing 92’s only try while Scotland fly-half Finn Russell fired over a conversion and penalty goal.
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A ruthless Leinster had got off to a flying start with Ireland prop Porter driving over for a soft try with fly-half Ross Byrne, deputising for crocked star Johnny Sexton, converting.
Scotland star Russell pulled back three points with a 42-metre penalty, which was awarded for a ruck offence, but soon afterwards Racing had hooker Camille Chat sin-binned for repeated breakdown infringements.
Leinster made their extra man count by going through the phases to create the space for unmarked hooker Sheehan to cross, with Ross Byrne expertly converting to give them an 11-point advantage.
It became 21-3 just before half-time with a complex handling movement culminating in an overhead pass from roving winger James Lowe putting skipper Ringrose over with Ross Byrne again adding the extra points.
Ringrose went close to another try early in the second half but a series of handling errors saw them fail to take advantage of territory and possession.
World Player of the Year Van der Flier eventually bagged Leinster’s fourth try after a tap penalty, Ross Byrne again converting.
Ringrose then fed Ed Byrne to score, with Harry Byrne kicking the conversion, in the 70th minute before Wade went over and Russell added the extras.
Good play from Ringrose then allowed Van der Flier to add the final try, which was converted by Harry Byrne.
Sharks hold off Harlequins fightback in Durban
Elsewhere, Harlequins opened their Champions Cup campaign with a 39-31 defeat by Sharks in a thrilling encounter on their first trip to South Africa.
The London side did manage to secure a vital bonus point for scoring four tries, but a late rally saw 14-man Sharks score a fifth try and record two vital bonus points as they took the spoils in Durban.
Sharks lost a player when prop Ox Nche was shown a red card midway through the second half for a head-on collision and Harlequins responded with two tries by centre Andre Esterhuizen.
Wing Josh Bassett crossed for his second try as Quins made it 32-31 before full-back Boeta Chamberlain crossed for the vital try for Sharks in the 79th minute to secure a famous victory.
The Sharks crossed for five tries, with hooker Bongi Mbonambi and winger Makazole Mapimpi crossing for two tries and wing Werner Kok joining full-back Chamberlain on the scoresheet.
Quins opened the scoring with an early try after five minutes by wing Bassett, who signed for the club after the demise of Wasps, was found with a superb long pass by fellow wing Cadan Murley after a lineout close to the home side’s line.
Fly-half Tommaso Allan landed the conversion to give the visitors a 7-0 lead before Sharks replied with a try of their own as international hooker Bongi Mbonambi crashed over from a driving lineout.
Curwin Bosch landed the extras to make the scores all level before he converted a penalty to give the home side a 10-7 lead and Sharks then extended their lead with a second try.
South Africa winger Mapimpi, back in Sharks colours, took advantage of some sloppy defending to cross for his first try to make it 17-7 to the home side midway through the first half. Curwin added the extras with his second conversion.
Mapimpi crossed for his second try after a dominant scrum by the Sharks five metres out from the Harlequins line saw him dance and step his way past defenders to cross the whitewash and to make it 22-7.
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Quins flanker Will Evans crossed for his side’s second try after the visitors showed impressive control at a driving maul, with Allan converting to make it 22-14 at half-time.
🦈 The Sharks claim the first-ever South African victory in the #HeinekenChampionsCup #SHAvHAR pic.twitter.com/C8XUbZKYID
— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) December 10, 2022
After the break, Sharks crossed for a fourth try after wing Kok raced on to his kick-and-chase to score in the corner, securing the bonus point for the home side. Bosch landed the conversion.
Sharks then went down to 13 men, with hooker Mbonambi shown yellow for persistent infringing, and a head-on collision with Jack Walker saw prop Nche shown a red card.
Harlequins took full advantage, with centre Esterhuizen crossing for two tries, along with Bassett grabbing his brace before Chamberlain sealed the win for Sharks.