Bath had their moments in a 32-14 defeat, but Montpellier deployed old-fashioned grit and guile to play them off their own park

Nobody really knows what to make of the orgy of tries that is English rugby these days. The dazzling hands, the scarcely believable comebacks, the, er, bewildered defences. Evidence of a new dimension of attacking rugby, uncontainable and breathless? Or not to be trusted?

Bath have found themselves of late at the heart of the debate – here they were reminded what rugby feels like when served up in more old-fashioned style, hard and brutal. Montpellier turned up to a sold-out Rec on the opening weekend of the Champions Cup and won 32-14. Bath fell away alarmingly, losing the second half 22-0.

• Lions lock Hyron Andrews, 31, found dead on Friday

• Connacht 45-36 Saracens; Sale 27-47 Glasgow

The Johannesburg-based Lions put up a gritty fight on an emotional Champions Cup debut but came up short 31-14 at La Rochelle as both sides paid tribute to the South African lock Hyron Andrews, who died suddenly at the team’s hotel in western France.

The whole stadium observed a minute’s silence while Andrews’s No 5 shirt was laid on the pitch before kick-off. La Rochelle’s three South African players presented a jersey to their visitors in memory of the player, who died on Friday at Lions’ hotel on the nearby Ile de Ré. A source close to the investigation said that Andrews, who was 31, was found in cardiac arrest in a shower cubicle that was locked from the inside.

• Montpellier 59-26 Ulster

• Dominant French side run in nine tries

Ulster’s dreams of claiming a first trophy for 20 years were summarily dashed by a strong Montpellier on a steamy night in Bilbao. Led by a revitalised Billy Vunipola the French side possessed too much power for their opponents and were duly rewarded with their third Challenge Cup triumph in 11 seasons.

Vunipola, who last featured for England at the 2023 World Cup, was at the forefront of an increasingly dominant forward effort which steadily wore Ulster down in energy-sapping conditions. The wing Donovan Taofifénua collected two of his side’s nine tries as Montpellier, currently second in the Top 14 table, claimed the latest trophy of this distinctly French-dominated season.