Cardiff gave Northampton Saints a real test but ultimately came up short, suffering a 28-12 defeat at DPD Franklin’s Gardens in their opening Investec Champions Cup fixture.

Corniel van Zyl left a number of his big hitters out but his side pushed Northampton hard with tries from James Pater, Toby Thame, George Hendy and Fraser Dingwall getting Saints over the line.

Anthony Belleau and Pater also kicked eight points between them. Harri Millard and Mason Grady scored tries for Cardiff with Jarrod Evans kicking two points.

Wales great Taulupe Faletau played 56 minutes in an impressive display on his comeback.

Saints held a 14-0 lead at the interval with Cardiff's lineout malfunctioning while second-row Tom Manz had a try disallowed for a knock-on.

But the Welsh club fought back impressively with Millard powering over from short-range and Grady crossing at the corner to narrow the gap to 14-12.

Hendy scored almost immediately from the restart but Cardiff should have pulled one back when Josh Adams raced clear. towards the line with no defenders in front of him.

But the Wales wing got hunted down by Hendy who forced Adams into touch. That was to be Cardiff's final chance to get back into the game with Dingwall scoring shortly after to ensure victory for Northampton.

Northampton Saints: Pater; Sleightholme, Hutchinson, Thame, Hendy; Belleau, Mitchell; Fischetti, Smith, Kundiona, Lockett, van der Mescht, Kemeny, Taylor, Chick.

Replacements: Langdon, Els, Neculai, Prowse, Ulcoq, McParland, Smith, Dingwall.

Cardiff: Young; Grady, Millard, Emanuel, Bowen; Evans, A Davies; Southworth, D Hughes (capt), Wainwright, Manz, Thornton, Paea, D Thomas, Faletau.

Replacements: E Lloyd, Barratt, Cowell, McNally, De La Rua, Mulder, Sheedy, Adams.