NEWCASTLE Falcons have set their sights on winning the European Challenge Cup as their best route back into the Heineken Cup next season.

After reaching the quarter-finals of the senior European event last season they are desperate to get back into it, but are unlikely to do so via the Guinness Premiership or the Powergen Cup.

"Logically this is out best chance," said Director of Rugby Andrew after the 51-19 home win in the opening match against Brive. "But we know it will be tough away to Borders next week."

Andrew also knows that his old sidekick, Steve Bates, will have his Borders side more fired up than Brive following his sacking by the Falcons three years ago.

Bates was made to carry the can when a dreadful run by the Newcastle side left them in danger of relegation and felt bitter about it for a long time afterwards.

The Borders won their opener away to the other side in the group, Italian side L'Aquila, and it will be a key game when the Falcons visit the Scots next Sunday.

They scored five tries in atrocious conditions against their French visitors, while Jonny Wilkinson landed ten out of 11 kicks at goal.

The highlight was a length-of-the-field try when the ball went through five pairs of hands and the move was finished off by England centre Jamie Noon.

"If the Fench had scored that people would be waxing lyrical about how they are more skilful than us," said Andrew. "But two or three of our tries were in that class, especially Tom May's in the second half.

"The crucial thing is we can perform these skills at a very high pace, which most teams can't do. The running and off-loading by the forwards in close quarters was fantastic and the handling from Matt Thompson and Robbie Morris for May's try was exceptional.

"If you didn't know which was the French team you would have guessed it was us."

Wilkinson was in supreme form as he punished the French team with six penalties and four conversions.

Skipper Colin Charvis led the way with two second-half touchdowns and Noon, May and full back Matt Burke scored the others.

Brive were 22 points adrift at the break and all at sea by the end.

In the other game in Pool Four, Border Reivers had to dig deep to avoid embarrassment in Italy where L'Aquila were full value for their 22-12 half-time lead. Tries by Uruguay international Andrea Brignoni launched the home offensive and by the break scrum-half Juan Cruz Legora and wing Roberto Mariani had followed suit.

The Reivers responded with two tries of their own before they found their form after the break to run out 32-25 victors, with five tries in total.

Charles Hore contributed 17 points, including two tries, while full-back Stuart Moffatt also scored a double to secure a bonus point.

The other Reivers try came from Scottish wing Simon Danielli.

Pat Sanderson got his quest for a third European Challenge Cup winner's medal off to a flying start as he bagged one of Worcester's five tries in their 36-18 home win in Pool Five over Montpellier.

A winner with NEC Harlequins in 2001 and 2004, the Warriors skipper was the guiding light as the English side kept their noses in front in the first half before stretching away after the break to extend their lead and pick up a bonus point.

New recruit Shane Drahm got the first of Worcester's five tries and he ended the game with a 16-point haul as he knocked over four conversions and a penalty.

Sanderson's score, and a penalty try, gave Worcester a 22-15 lead before teenage wing Uche Oduoza and former England scrum-half Andy Gomarsall wrapped up proceedings in the second half.

It did not take long for former All Black flanker Sam Harding to find his feet in Europe as he crashed over for the first of Northampton Saints' seven tries in their 47-25 Pool One victory over Viadana at Franklins Gardens.

Harding got on the score sheet after only five minutes and his lead was followed by wings Ben Cohen and John Rudd.

Cohen scored a hat-trick and Rudd got two. Jon Clarke got the other try.

Result: Newcastle Falcons 51, Brive 19.