WORCESTER Warriors made a stunning start to the European Challenge Cup campaign with a bonus-point win at the Stade Jean Bouin.

Warriors rested the entire starting XV that beat Bristol Bears last week but those who took their places showed there was no decrease in intensity or passion against France’s Top 14 second-placed side.

Two first-half tries from wing Tom Howe laid the foundations for Warriors’ win but youngsters Ollie Lawrence and Ted Hill made their presence felt with significant physical contributions.

Worcester turned pressure into points to record their first win in France in 10 years and only their fourth in all on French soil.

They also racked up their highest score in the country, beating the 31 they scored at Montpellier in the 2005-06 campaign.

Although Jules Plisson gave Stade an early lead when pressure from the kick-off allowed the France fly-half to land a penalty, Warriors soon built the pressure and turned it into points.

Scrum-half Michael Heaney featured prominently in the build-up and linked with Andrew Kitchener, Pierce Phillips and Hill before Matt Cox went over for a try which captain Jono Lance improved.

Stade responded with a well-worked try when they found space down the right and full-back Kylan Hamdaoui went over with Plisson converting.

But Lance levelled with a well-struck penalty after 24 minutes and Warriors followed up with Howe’s first try when he arrived in support of a forward surge and dotted down from close range.

Lance converted but Plisson pulled back three points with a 38th-minute penalty having earlier struck a post with a more difficult kick.

However, Warriors silenced the home fans on the stroke of half-time when they launched a stunning counter-attack after Stade turned over possession in their own half.

Man of the match Lawrence made the initial break and his deft pass to Howe left the wing with space to sprint over for his second try.

Lance converted from a difficult angle to open up an 11-point lead at the break which forced Stade to bring on reinforcements at the interval.

Outstanding defence from Warriors at the start of the second half drew the sting from Stade.

Having soaked up pressure they made the most of their own scoring opportunities to grab the try bonus point.

Lawrence again broke a tackle, Heaney provided the link and Hill had the strength to reach the line for his fourth try of the season which Lance converted.

On 57 minutes Howe gathered a perfectly-weighted chip out of defence only to be hauled down by the cover defence.

Stade hit back with a close-range try from replacement hooker Laurent Panis which Morne Steyn converted.

But Cox almost went over for his second try when he pounced on a loose ball only to lose it in contact as he went over the line.

Warriors were not to be denied and superb interplay between Lance and Hill set up Jamie Shillcock for a try within three minutes of coming on as a replacement for his first appearance of the season.

Stade scored a third try when Piet van Zyl went over six minutes from time and Steyn converted but Warriors denied them a bonus point in a frenetic finale.

The one blemish on Warriors’ win was the early departure of centre Ashley Beck who was taken off injured on a stretcher after just three minutes.

Warriors: Humphreys; Hammond, Lawrence, Beck (Olivier 3), Howe (Shillcock 68); Lance, Heaney (Baldwin 72); Waller (Owen 65), Annett (Taufete’e 41), Kerrod (Milasinovich 60), Kitchener (Clegg 71), Phillips, Hill, Williams (Dodd 63), Cox.

Stade Francais: Hamdaourigh; Etien, Delbouis, Danty, Camara; Plisson, Daguin; El Ansari, Sempere, Herrera, Gabrillagues, Flanquart, Di Giovanni, Chapuis, Macalou. Replacements: Panis, Fisi'ihoi, Alo-Emile, Maestri, Richard, Van Zyl, Steyn, Fickou.