Leeds Carnegie were on schedule for a European Challenge Cup quarter-final after a hard-fought 23-20 win in Dax. Victories in the home and away games against Calvisano will give coach Daryl Powell’s team a spot in the last eight.

Fly-half Alberto di Bernardo landed five goals in a polished performance, with tries by Fosi Palaamo and Lee Blackett in either half crucial.

Connacht made their highest score in Europe as they cantered past Spanish side Cetransa El Salvador 75-8.

Winger Ofisa Treviranus and centre Danny Riordan both bagged two tries inside the hour and Riordan’s third in the dying minutes took the home side past the 70-point mark.

Saracens ran in six tries in a dominant victory over Leeds in the EDF Energy Cup at Headingley on Friday.Rod Penney (2), Craig McMullen, Edd Thrower, Moses Rauluni and Kevin Sorrell all crossed, while fly-half Gordon Ross kicked 16 points.

Leeds, second from bottom of the Premiership, scored four tries through Erik Lund, Mike McDonald, Scott Armstrong and Apolosi Satala.

Sarries led 13-8 at the break but ran rampant in the second half.

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Leeds director of rugby Stuart Lancaster:
“There are lots of positives to take from it. I thought lots of our play was good and at the level that it needs to be.”But obviously we cannot keep gifting soft scores away because at this level you will get hurt.

“I’m disappointed for the players because the spirit is strong, but that’s Leeds for you.”

Saracens director of rugby Alan Gaffney:
“We’ve come up here and scored six tries but our defence was just not acceptable.”Full credit to Leeds because they really kept going and deserve some credit for that.”

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Leeds: J Goodridge, L Hinton, T Rock, A Tuilagi, A Satala, A Di Bernardo, J Brooks; M MacDonald, J Parkes; F Pala’amo, E Lund, K Myall, D Paul, C Clark, R Oakley (capt).
Replacements: A Hopcroft, V Ma’asi, P Bouza, S Stitcher, D Edwards, L Blackett, S Armstrong.

Saracens: R Haughton, D van der Merwe, R Penney, C McMullen, E Thrower, G Ross, A Dickens (capt), N Lloyd, F Ongaro, T Mercey, K Chesney, T Ryder, P Gustard, D Seymour, G Hall.
Replacements: Kyriacou, A Liffchak, H Vyvyan, D Barrell, M Rauluni, K Sorrell, N Cato.

Fiji international winger Appo Satala is set to make his debut for Leeds in their EDF Energy Cup clash.Leigh Hinton returns for the injured Richard Welding whilst Andy Tuilagi and Tom Rock, Kearnan Myall, James Parkes and Danny Paul all come into the side.

Saracens boss Alan Gaffney has recalled Fabio Ongaro, Tom Ryder, Paul Gustard, Tom Mercey and Gordon Ross.

Guthrie Hall and Daniel van der Merwe also make their debuts, while Fiji captain Moses Rauluni starts as sub.

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Leeds: J Goodridge, L Hinton, T Rock, A Tuilagi, A Satala, A Di Bernardo, J Brooks; M MacDonald, J Parkes; F Pala’amo, E Lund, K Myall, D Paul, C Clark, R Oakley (capt). Replacements: A Hopcroft, V Ma’asi, P Bouza, S Stitcher, D Edwards, L Blackett, S Armstrong.

Saracens: R Haughton, D van der Merwe, R Penney, C McMullen, E Thrower, G Ross, A Dickens (capt), N Lloyd, F Ongaro, T Mercey, K Chesney, T Ryder, P Gustard, D Seymour, G Hall. Replacements: Kyriacou, A Liffchak, H Vyvyan, D Barrell, M Rauluni, K Sorrell, N Cato.

Leeds have confirmed they could step in to sign Australia superstar Stephen Larkham if his move to Edinburgh collapses.

 
Edinburgh have changed hands since Larkham agreed a two-year contract in May to move to the Scottish capital.

They are now back under Scottish Rugby Union control, having been franchised to brothers Bob and Alex Carruthers.

The change has raised fears Larkham will not make the move to Murrayfield, and the SRU have yet to make an announcement either way.

Fly-half Larkham, 33, is due to arrive after the World Cup but could become available if Edinburgh decide they cannot fulfil the commitment the previous management struck with the Brumbies player.

Leeds chief executive Gary Hetherington said: “We are just waiting to see what happens. We are having a meeting and we will discuss the situation.”

Hetherington told The Australian newspaper: “We would have an interest in Stephen Larkham because we are looking to strengthen our team.

“He is a player who would be of interest to us. We are looking to add a world-class player to our squad and Stephen Larkham would fit that bill.

“Stephen is currently under contract to Edinburgh so we are not in a position to enter discussions with him.”

Hetherington confirmed a move for Larkham would be possible within Leeds’ current budget.