Investec Champions Cup

Pau (17) 41

Tries: Marta 2, Zabala, Grandidier Nkanang, Brau-Boirie Cons: Desperes 5 Pens: Desperes 2

Leicester Tigers (10) 17

Tries: Chessum, Van der Flier Cons: Searle 2 Pen: Searle

Leicester Tigers began their Champions Cup campaign with a 41-17 defeat by French club Pau.

Portugal international Rodrigo Marta crossed for two of the home side’s five tries, with a late burst helping them earn a bonus point from their Pool One opener.

Despite falling behind to an early Pau penalty, Leicester did well in the early exchanges, their tactical kicking game keeping them camped in their opponents’ territory.

Billy Searle’s 50-22 put the Tigers in superb field position and they capitalised through captain Ollie Chessum, who was making his first appearance of the season after recovering from a foot injury.

Pau fought back well, however, showing their quality with three tries in a 20-minute spell either side of half-time.

They had already seen a Sacha Zegueur try ruled out for a knock-on before Marta, the leading try-scorer in this season’s Top 14 with six in five appearances, and prop Jon Zebala touched down late in the first half.

Centre Marta raced in again from 30 metres to extend Pau’s lead after the interval.

Archie van der Flier powered over in the corner to move Leicester back within seven points, but that would be the final time Leicester would be within range of a losing bonus point, as Pau scored 17 points without reply.

Fly-half Axel Desperes added a further penalty, Theo Attissogbe sent winger Aaron Grandidier Nkanang over unchallenged in the corner and Fabien Brau-Boirie intercepted a Leicester pass to complete the scoring.

Leicester’s remaining Pool One matches are against Clermont Auvergne, Glasgow Warriors and Leinster.

Pau: Attissogbe; Laporte; Marta; Brau-Boirie, Grandidier Nkanang; Desperes, Souverbie; Etchebehere, Delhommel, Zabala, Jolmes, Capelli, Zegueur, Credoz (capt), Vergnes-Taillefer.

Replacements: Caperaa, Parrou, Papidze, Picquette, Grondona, Isa, Garcia, Valentino.

Leicester: Steward; Radwan, Wand, Bailey, Hassell-Collins; Searle, Whiteley; Van der Flier, Blamire, Sclavi, Henderson, Chessum (capt), Carnduff, Moro, Cracknell.

Replacements: Moli, Vunipola, Hurd, Thompson, Thomas, Van Poortvliet, Woodward, Hamer-Webb.

Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ireland)

Assistant referees: Robbie Jenkinson (Ireland) and Andrew Cole (Ireland)

TMO: Olly Hodges (Ireland)