2005 EUROPEAN CUP GROUP 2

France compleely outclassed Russia, suffering from a political fall out in Moscow in a one-sider European Cup opener. With John Monie in charge for the first time, the French ran in 14 tries and kicked 12 goals, virtually booking their place in the final. From the third minute, when Villeneuve winger Jerome Hermet went over, it was all one way. Hull KR centre Damien Couturier finished a dazzling handling move to score the game’s most spectacular try but the opposition was too often found wanting.

Pictured: Laurent Frayssinous kicked eight goals.

FRANCE
Renaud Guigue, Olivier Charles, Adam Innes, Damien Couturier, Jerome Hermet, Laurent Frayssinous, Maxime Greseque, David Ferriol, Cedric Gay, Jerome Guisset, Laurent Carrasco, Greg Mounis, Christophe Moly. Subs: Julien Rinaldi, Djamel Fakir, Sebastian Raguin, Frederic Zitter

RUSSIA
Oleg Sokolov, Rinat Chamsoutdinov, Sergei Dobrynin, Artem Grigoryan, Valentin Basaskov, Viktor Nechaev, Igor Gavrilin, Jan Gvozdev, Roman Ovchinnikov, Andrei Dumalkin, Alexander Lysenkov, Irakli Schikvadze, Evgeny Bouzhkov. Subs: Andrei Kuzovkov, Denis Korolev, Alexander Chulkov, Nikolay Zagoskin