<
>

Who said what in the Champions Cup Round 2

Toulon celebrate Leigh Halfpenny's try in the Champions Cup against Sale. Alex Dodd - CameraSport via Getty Images

All the reaction from around the European Champions Cup Round 2 as Toulon got back to winning ways and Munster remembered Anthony Foley.

Sale 5-15 Toulon

Sale Sharks director of rugby Steve Diamond: "They've got three sets of eyes on him (Magnus Lund who was sin-binned for Sale), so whether he's done for no hands or late or whichever, we can't give penalties away like that week in, week out because you're going to get yellow cards. When you go down to 14 men teams can punish you, certainly teams like Toulon."

"I suppose we could have kicked the penalty in front of the posts but if we could have gone over from one of those drives, it would have been an interesting last 10 minutes. That was our decision, to go for those corners, and probably the right thing to do."

Toulon head coach Diego Dominguez: "The difference was our first 20 minutes, we were very strong. That was the difference," he said. Dominguez defended Vermeulen after the skipper saw yellow for tripping Sam James when the fly-half had kicked through. "The yellow card (for Duane Vermeulen) was not voluntary. It was a reflex. Not on purpose. It was a yellow card but it wasn't on purpose."

Munster 38-17 Glasgow Warriors

Munster's director of rugby Rassie Erasmus: "I feel relieved because of the unknown element about the week. The territory we got into this week and circumstances, different things, I did not know, myself, how we would react, how the players would react, even the referee or the opposition. It was such a weird week which you can't really prepare for. Even with the warm-up I wasn't even sure what we would get out of this.

"We had a good chat last night and this morning about what we were going to try and achieve, not even result-wise, but more the way we wanted to play. I was expecting that would come through, but not in such a mature way, for the players to do it so quickly after something tragic that happened to Axel (Anthony Foley), so I am relieved. The tough things are the small things. You get into the bus to the field, Axel's seat is there. You get into the changing room, all the little things that remind you. Then you get out to the field and the Munster people, the Irish people, do things that are very personal, with so much emotion and then I wasn't sure how that would impact on everyone, from the opposition to us, so I am relieved the guys handled it like that."

Glasgow Warriors head coach Gregor Townsend: "As coaches we obviously focus on the rugby, but we are also part of mentally preparing our players, getting them to believe in themselves and go out there and play. This was different and we were focusing on the rugby side of it. We talked about what we expected today, with the crowd noise, the whole atmosphere. It's the Champions Cup. We know every game is difficult. This was really difficult today. We have missed not picking up any points today and given one of our rivals five points. It will be tough from here."

Castres 41-7 Northampton

Northampton director of rugby Jim Mallinder: "We got to half-time and, really, it was game over, already. It doesn't mean we're out of the Champions Cup. It was a massive disappointment to come here and get nothing, but we won our home game so we're still in with a chance. We didn't get on the front foot at all in the first half and the little ball we got, we didn't look after. We didn't get enough numbers to the breakdown; we tried silly offloads which were never on, and they punished us."

"We show that against big, physical packs we can compete. Today, we just didn't at all. We were never on the front foot. We were chasing shadows, basically. You don't want to come out to France and give them as much as we did. Once a French team - and Castres are one of the best teams - gets on the front foot, and the sun's shining on their backs and the band starts playing, they're very difficult team to beat."

Castres forwards coach Joe El-Abd: "Last week was difficult. We were taught a lesson in how to play European rugby - we weren't quite ready for the intensity. But we learned our lessons and have worked hard all week on what we did wrong, and it all clicked this weekend. Last week we forgot that rugby starts with the basics - the maul, the scrum, defence.

"If you don't get that right, you can't put your game together. The boys put things right today, and they should be happy. But that doesn't mean they can rest on their laurels. We've got a massive game coming up against Bordeaux. We've played three away games that are probably the toughest games I've been involved in, against Clermont, Montpellier and Leinster. Next weekend, we're going to come out with all guns blazing."

Ulster 18-16 Exeter Chiefs

Ulster captain Andrew Trimble: "It was one of those finishes to a game that was entertaining and I think a lot of supporters got their money's worth, but it was a little bit too entertaining at the end, we had to dig really deep. That is an Exeter side that is hurting a bit from last week's result and they came out fighting. The first 15-20 minutes when it was dry we were able to take them through phases and move them about the pitch and keep the tempo up, then it just became a proper old school dog fight out there.

"Whenever it comes down to that it's about who wants it more and who has more character and who is going to be brave enough to stand up and take the game by the scruff of neck, and we had to do that a couple of times. Whenever there is three or four minutes left and you have to get down there we put Jackie in the pocket and he delivered. I am very proud of the performance and there are definitely things to work on."

Exeter Head Coach Rob Baxter: "We topped the pool last year that was won by a team with 16 points and there are four games left and we have a point. We'll keep fighting to the death and the one thing we have learned if you fight to the death you always have an opportunity. We'll keep going for it, wrapping up tonight the players are hurting for the right reasons. Last week they were hurting for the wrong reasons because we didn't give ourselves a chance to get into that game and tonight we did.

"To come to Ulster with such a good crowd and atmosphere and to stand and fight and refuse to get bowed, because there were moments when they got some momentum, and refuse to bend and to be within one or two feet of a drop goal going over and us winning what would have been a remarkable game... I'm disappointed but for the right reasons and I think we learned a little bit about ourselves tonight."

Saracens 44-26 Scarlets

Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall: told the Saracens website "I think there were a lot of strong performances, a lot of strong individual performances across the team. Michael Rhodes had a really prominent game today carried really well for us, Mako, Owen Farrell was magnificent for us. Nick Tompkins came in at the eleventh hour...and did a really good job for us as well so some good performances across the team."

"We're pleased we got the win that we wanted, we got the bonus point that we wanted, did a lot of good things in the game, but also did some not so good things and obviously we don't like to concede 26 points at home. We made some errors along the way and a few more handling errors that we would have liked, but that would be a bit glass half empty because some of the rugby that we produced was really nice."

Scarlets captain Ken Owens told the Scarlets website: "Against the best team in Europe I thought we found some space and looked pretty sharp attacking wise. We've got to learn from this and front up the next couple of weeks. We saw massive character from the boys to keep going. We put them under pressure, we didn't fold at any point during the 80 minutes."

"We've got to take heart, we've got a big challenge in those two back-to-back weeks in December (against Toulon). It'll be another huge challenge against a formidable side, if we play a high tempo game and move their big pack around I'm sure we'll get some gains."

Montpellier 22-16 Leinster

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen: "For the most part we handled things really well, but then we get a really good turnover and give the ball straight back to them when they score (through Martin). It felt like a really cheap seven points. A couple of minutes later we defend a maul quite well to the sideline, but we defended quite narrow because of some of the threats they have and then Nadolo - it was really strong finish from him, we know the threat he poses.

"Again the try in the second half (from Nadolo), we do really well to defend the maul, get a scrum from the turnover and we just cough up a cheap one. You have to be able to deal with things like that if you want to progress in this tournament. I thought the lads scrambled their way back into the game. Even after not getting over a couple of times, for Isa to get over at the end was pleasing and Isa's smart enough to get a little closer to the posts to make the conversion a bit easier."

Montpellier flanker Fulgence Ouedraogo: "The hard work paid off, it was very important for us to win today. The conditions were tough, but we scrummaged and mauled well and took our scoring chances when they came, particularly Nemani (Nadolo). It was frustrating at the end, though, to give away that try. Leinster didn't play well but they ended up leaving here with a losing bonus point. That's the mark of great teams."

Toulouse 20-20 Wasps

Wasps director of rugby Dai Young: "We showed a lot of composure, even when we were under the pump - in the last 20 minutes, we still had our structure and still had our patterns. And we produced opportunities. We produced three or four try-scoring opportunities just by carrying on playing and not getting frustrated.

"As the game wore on, Toulouse got a bit more tired and a bit more space started to open up for us and we started to play the rugby that we know we can play. In tight games - and these are always going to be tight games - you need a kicker of quality and my money's on Jimmy when it comes to those big kicks.

Leicester 27-17 Racing 92

Leicester director of rugby Richard Cockerill: "We know Freddie has got some stardust about him. You take the risk with the intercept, and if it comes off, you are okay. Freddie is a very good footballer and he read it very well. Everything went right for him tonight, and I am delighted for him. "Freddie is up for the challenge. If he is in the limelight, he is happy!

"Those sorts of personalties play in those sorts of positions, and he would have relished having the opportunity to show what he could do. I am delighted with the performance and the result, and to deny them anything out of the game is important. We defended well, and our set-piece was probably the difference."

Zebre 7-52 Connacht

Connacht head coach Pat Lam: "It was a professional performance. We are top of the table now, but there's a long way to go. Obviously it shows how tough our pool is and it's going to come down to two of us probably going through. That is the battle. We are sitting in a good place, but we have a tough job in December away to Wasps (who are two points behind) in Coventry.

"The good thing now is we have two from two, nine points, so we can now park this. We have two big games in the PRO12 starting with Leinster at the RDS before we head into a break. We are starting to get back to where we were at last year, but the maturity of the group is key regardless of their age."

Zebre captain George Biagi: "This is the Champions Cup so teams play the best rugby, and today we started really badly. When you start badly, it's hard to get some momentum and points on the board. I thought we did well in the first half to concede only two (tries). The red card made life tremulously hard for us, and Connacht have quality and today they showed it. We just did everything wrong today and played into their hands."