Shanklin puts brakes on dismal Dinamo

The Wales centre Tom Shanklin bagged five tries as Saracens launched their 2002-03 European campaign in the Parker Pen Challenge Cup with an 87-11 romp over Dinamo Bucharest in the Romanian capital yesterday. Kris Chesney and Richard Haughton helped themselves to two touchdowns apiece in this first round, first leg tie while Tim Horan, Thomas Castaignède and Adryan Winnan also breached the Bucharest line.

Harlequins enjoyed a similarly emphatic victory when they travelled to South Wales and ran in 11 tries en route to battering Caerphilly 73-20. Matt Moore, Nick Duncombe and Rob Jewell each claimed a pair of tries.

A third Zurich Premiership side, Leeds, underwent a much tougher examination before prevailing 29-23 away to Petrarca in Padua. In the end, they were largely indebted to their wing, Chris Hall, for his hat-trick of tries while their Scotland flanker Cameron Mather also went over.

Pontypridd, last season's beaten finalists, made short work of Roma, 60-18. There were try doubles from Emyr Lewis, Dale Mackintosh and Sonny Parker while Neil Jenkins contributed 25 points.

Alexandre Colome, who was sent off during Montauban's 20-16, first leg defeat at Ebbw Vale on Friday night, can play in the return match in France on Saturday. The 30-year-old flanker, dismissed by English referee Steve Leyshon for a high tackle, faced a disciplinary hearing after the match. But he was told by the match commissioner, Ray Wilton, that the sending off was sufficient punishment and that he would not be suspended.

In Pool One of the Heineken Cup, Béziers looked far from convincing as they recorded a 32-16 victory over their Italian hosts Calvisano in the match between two clubs in the same group as the holders Leicester and Neath. The Bèziers' wing Philippe Escalle scored two tries and there were toucdowns also for Sebastien Bonetti and Pierre Mignoni.

Rotherham remain top of National League One on points difference from Worcester after a hard-fought 23-13 success away to Plymouth Albion. Their four tries were run in by Peter Massey, Matt Wood, Leon Greeff and Ramiro Pez, who also kicked a penalty. Birmingham/Solihull held on to third spot after shading Wakefield 23-20 and Exeter consolidated fourth place by thrashing Otley 69-11 with 10 tries, two of them from the former Harlequins prop Alton Ozdemir. Orrell moved up to sixth with an impressive 48-24 win at Manchester which featured a hat-trick of touchdowns for their centre Andy Craig and a brace from loose-head prop Alastair Livesey.

The New Zealand Rugby Football Union have dispensed with the services of the All Blacks' manager, Andrew Martin, in a move which hands total control to the head coach, John Mitchell. Martin, a former SAS colonel, was appointed in 1999 and had a close relationship with Mitchell's predecessor, Wayne Smith, who is now the coach at Northampton.