Castres Olympique claimed their first victory in this year’s Heineken Cup, with a convincing 41 v 22 win over last season’s Heineken Cup finalists Northampton Saints.

In an end-to-end game on entertaining rugby both sides scored four tries but the boot of Romain Teulet proved the difference between the teams.

The visitors couldn’t have made a worse start to this contest, when Castres scored their first try in four games after only three minutes when impressive openside flanker, Steve Malonga, finished off a sweeping attacking move.

Northampton replied with a trademark forward surge from short-range when lock Mark Sorenson burrowed his way over and fly-half Steve Myler added the extras to level the scores.

The metronomic boot of Castres cult-figure, Teulet, put the French side back ahead, with two penalties, before the English Premiership side rallied with a well taken try by wing Jamie Elliott.

Myler was then sin-binned for a second high-tackle just before half-time and 14-man Saints conceded a second try almost immediately, after a delightful chip to the corner by No 8 Chris Masoe put wing Romain Martial in at the corner, to make it 23-12 to Castres at half-time.

It was the Saints, though, who scored next, when they were under pressure again. Wing Elliott’s second try saw the teenager run in from inside his own half after he intercepted Martial’s pass.

American No 8 Samu Manoa, who impressed with his power and athleticism, then clawed the Saints back to within four points when he scored his side’s fourth try for a bonus point midway through the second half.

But Tom Woods’ yellow card proved costly for the Saints and they couldn’t cope going down to 14-men for a second time and wing Martial and flanker Ibrahim Diarra took full advantage and crossed for tries to record a bonus point and an emphatic victory.