Pau royal in La Rochelle, Brive sinks, Toulouse falls in Bayonne … What to remember from Saturday’s matches

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Mute for four games, the Montpellier champion reassured himself against Stade Français (23-19), Saturday, October 29, on behalf of the 9th day of Top 14. Pau, majestic in La Rochelle (21-38), has signed the performance of the day. Castres (26-22 against Clermont) and Perpignan (28-21 against Lyon) ensured at home, when Racing went wild outside to sink pale Brivistes (38-43). In the evening, Bayonne made Stade Toulousain bend.

Montpellier revives without convincing

It was urgent, so it doesn’t matter how. Montpellier ended its series of four losses in a row by painfully beating Stade Français (23-19). Undisciplined (15 faults), clumsy in touch (9 lost balls), the champions of France won with wear. They still curled the correctional, when the Parisians found themselves in front of the in-goal at the siren, without managing to cross.

Even beaten for the first time in a month, Stade Français won an important defensive bonus to secure its second place, while waiting for the Toulon match on Sunday evening.

Capital feat from Pau to La Rochelle

One of the performances of this beginning of the season. On a series of five defeats in a row, Pau brought down the La Rochelle fortress (21-38). Twenty-four years after its last victory in Deflandre, the Section inflicted on the Maritimes their biggest defeat at home for … seven years (6-44 against Clermont in August 2015). Realistic in the first period, unleashed in the second act, the Béarnais unlocked their counter outside with style.

Even dominated territorially and in terms of possession, they fed on the errors of Rochelais deprived of their internationals, including Tanga, Alldritt or Danty. A serious setback for the players of Ronan O’Gara, who chained two defeats in the Top 14 for the first time since February.

A courage bonus for Clermont

Led 26-12 and outnumbered three minutes from time, the Clermontois won an unexpected defensive bonus. A dazzling drive from Alivereti Raka to get a penalty try revived hopes, before the Auvergne scrum overthrew the Castres pack to get a decisive penalty. Rather than going into touch to win the draw, opener Jules Plisson assured against the poles (26-22, final score) at the siren.

A just reward for the Jaunards, authors of two other essays by the youngsters Baptiste Jauneau and Cheikh Tiberghien. By picking up a point in Castres – a first since Lyon in February – ASM confirms its good start to the season.

Brive, gaps but heart

On the tails, Brive showed immense character to register three tries in ten minutes and win an unexpected defensive bonus against Racing 92 (38-43). Axel Muller notably distinguished himself by scoring twice. But accounting, this point at home cannot be enough for the Corréziens. Once an impregnable fortress, the Stadium has fallen for the fourth time this season.

Above all, the Brivistes worry defensively. The 43 pawns conceded are added to the 119 suffered during the previous three days, making Coujoux the worst back guard of the Top 14. The successes of the direct competitors, Pau and Perpignan, only reinforce the urgency for the red lantern (12 points).

Bayonne bends Stade Toulousain

Rowing offered the scalp of the leader. In front of a boiling public at Jean Dauger, the Bayonnais sublimated themselves to inflict on Stade Toulousain their second defeat of the season (26-22). Authors of an excellent start to the match, and carried by an imperial Gaëtan Germain on foot, they quickly took the lead to race in the lead.

The Bayonnais then resisted the return of young Toulouse at the end of the game, who still managed to snatch the defensive bonus thanks to two tries in the last ten minutes. Thanks to this success, Aviron moved up to 8th place, with the same number of points as Castres and Racing, the last members of the top 6.


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