Leicester Tigers kicked off their Investec Champions Cup journey with a 41-17 defeat against French side Pau. The home team secured a bonus point in their Pool One opener, driven by a late surge of tries.
Despite an early penalty from Pau, Leicester showed promise in the initial stages, with captain Ollie Chessum marking his return from a foot injury with a try. However, Pau responded strongly, scoring three tries in a 20-minute period around half-time.
Rodrigo Marta, Pau's centre and the Top 14's leading try-scorer, crossed the line twice, contributing to his team's five tries. Archie van der Flier scored for Leicester, but Pau then added 17 unanswered points, including a penalty and two further tries, to seal their victory.
Leicester's upcoming Pool One fixtures are against Clermont Auvergne, Glasgow Warriors, and Leinster.