Montferrand maintained their formidable Heineken Cup record at the Parc des Sports Marcel-Michelin with a stunning six-try win over crisis-club Swansea.

The French side have never lost a home European tie in 19 matches and average 47 points a game.

And if they can carry this form onto the road they will be one of the favourites to claim the Cup.

Swansea had low expectations coming into the game - in previous seasons with stong squads the Whites' record in France has been appalling.

And the current St Helen's outfit are a shambles, their continued indiscipline seeing them reduced to 13 men in a game for the second successive week.

The match was over as a contest from the 12th minute, when tighthead prop Sebastien Bozzi was driven over for the game's opening try.

The lightweight Welsh forwards were blown apart, with Montferrand's former Newport number eight Jan Machacek proving the wrecker-in-chief.

With a quality stream of possession, the French were able to put devastating pace on the game.

Montferrand captain Olivier Magne had promised a hatful of tries and in the 31st minute he finished the score of the game, crossing after supporting a Sebastien Viars break.

Former Leicester and England hooker Richard Cockerill, now plying his trade in the Massif Central, added another on the stroke of half-time.

And when Magne notched up his second early in the second half, the floodgates were being held open.