The Reading side raced out of the blocks to demolish Agen 48-10 and snatch the initiative in Pool Five. Grenoble were also beaten on their travels across the English Channel, as they slipped to a 28-10 defeat at last season’s finalists Edinburgh.

Tom Coventry’s side crossed for eight tries in total with Gerard Ellis and Alex Lewington scoring a brace, with further tries for Sean Maitland, Rob McCusker and Johnny Williams and Joe Trayfoot on their debuts for the club. And Allinson is keen to kick-on after a dream start to their Challenge Cup assault.

He said: “It was great to get out there and get some competitive rugby under my belt. We played some good rugby and scored eight tries which will give the squad confidence going into the Grenoble game this Saturday. This weekend will be a step up from Saturday. Grenoble are a good side and they have some real quality in their squad so we know what we are coming up against. We will need to push on from the performance last week and go over there and give it our best.”

“Both Scott and Brendan are great players and we get on really well off the pitch too. All three of us are competitive and we all want to play, having that competition brings out the best in us all.”

Match Facts

• London Irish have won both matches played between these clubs in the Challenge Cup previously though they’ve been close encounters, a 43-41 victory the most recent of the showdowns.
• Grenoble have won only two of their 14 matches against clubs from England in the Challenge Cup, though neither of those wins came on home soil.
• London Irish have won 16 of their last 18 matches against French opposition.
• London Irish have won 13 of their last 16 away matches though one of the three losses came against the French side Stade Francais Paris.
• A loss in this match would be Grenoble’s fourth consecutive defeat in the competition, their worst run since losing five on the spin across the 2000/01 and 2002/03 seasons.