By Jason Harris
October 18 2006

It was defeats all round for Sarries' European Challenge Cup opponents in the weekend before the Euro action begins. Saracens' first Euro opponents Glasgow lost away to the Ospreys while GrAN Parma and Narbonne both went down at home. Friday night's defeat at the Liberty Stadium was another tryless affair for the Warriors as the Ospreys, featuring the likes of Justin Marshall, Gavin Henson and Shane Williams ran out easy 26-9 winners. Fly half Colin Gregor scored all Glasgow's points in the opening 20 minutes before going off injured and being replaced by Dan Parks.

Glasgow are still 9th in the Magners League on nine points from their seven games played so far, one ahead of Munster who also lost on Friday, 21-9 at home to Edinburgh, although the reigning Heineken Cup champions have a game in hand. Next up in the Magners League will be Connacht at Hughenden on Friday 3 November.

In Italy the Super 10 returned to normal service after a week's sabbatical to acommodate the Italy v Portugal game and GrAN were hoping to make home advantage tell over high-flying Arix Viadana.

Unfortunately for the Parma side, they could not prevent Viadana cruising to an emphatic 44-13 win with the GrAN points coming from a second half try from Italian international centre Lisandro Arbizu, converted by replacement centre Matteo Rossi, and two penalties from Rima Wakarua.

The defeat sees GrAN slip to seventh in Super 10 on the same number of points - nine - as Almaviva Capitolina, but the newcomers from Rome have a superior points difference. The table is taking shape even at this early stage as there is already a six point gap between the top and bottom halves.

GrAN's city rivals Overmach Rugby are in sixth place on 15 points and the two sides meet in the first Parma derby of the season on 4 November.

Narbonne also lost at home, 23-20 to Bourgoin. Congolese prop Guylain Bonzolé Mololo, just one minute after returning to the fray after being sin binned, scored RCNM's only try while Cedric Rosalen, now the Top 14's second-highest points scorer on 127, kicked five penalty goals, but this wasn't enough to stop the four points going to the visitors as Benjamin Boyet booted the winning penalty for CSBJ five minutes from time.

There has been no change in Narbonne's standing in the table, they remain 12th, now on 19 points, four clear of Brive who are in the relegation zone with Bayonne and who will provide RCNM's next opposition at Stade Municipal on the first weekend in November.

GrAN and Narbonne lock horns next Saturday at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi; kick off is 1.30pm BST.