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**dudeabides** · 03-05-2010, 07:08 PM

Perpignan v Clermont Auvergne:

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Clermont Auvergne claimed revenge for defeat in the final of last season's Top 14 by seeing off Perpignan 22-17 at the Stade Marcel Michelin, taking control in the race for a top two spot in the play-offs and going top prior to Castres' meeting with Brive.

The teams began the evening locked together on 61 points but it was the home side who finished the night with a vital advantage. Anthony Floch's second-half try proved pivotal, as did the boot of ever-reliable fly-half Brock James, after Perpignan hooker Marius Tincu had shocked the home crowd into silence by barging over for a try. Nicolas Laharrague and David Mele scored the rest of Perpignan's points from the kicking tee but they were made to pay for Damien Chouly's sin binning by Floch.

Chouly was one of four players to see yellow, with Jerome Schuster the other from the away side and Martin Scelzo and Julien Bonnaire trooping off for Clermont. Bonnaire was one of a number of French internationals on display, with Julien Malzieu and Alexandre Lapandry also starting for Clermont and Morgan Parra and Thomas Domingo named among the replacements.

Laharrague picked up the opening points with a drop goal after an overthrown lineout fell to him from a Clermont knock-on. James levelled the scores by landing his first penalty but Laharrague couldn't do the same to reclaim the lead as Perpignan competed well at the breakdown in the early stages. Floch put the home side in front with a drop-goal, but really Clermont should have picked up the opening try following a howler by Phillip Burger, who chose to dummy on his own line after fielding a kick from Malzieu and threw a forward pass to concede an attacking scrum.

Clermont's Vincent Debaty was denied a score against his former employers by a knock-on, the loosehead throwing his head back in aguish after bulldozing through Joffrey Michel's tackle. The ensuing scrum descended into chaos as Clermont tight-head Scelzo got to grips with Schuster, both men seeing yellow from referee Jerome Garces.

Laharrague and James both missed penalties to leave the score at 6-3 approaching the half-hour mark but the home side felt aggrieved when a high-tackle on Bonnaire went unpunished. They again went perilously close to the opening try just before half-time, with Malzieu beating Burger to the ball and sparking the attack. Bonnaire and Napolioni Nalaga carried well before James split the Perpignan line with a well-judged chip, which Perpignan's Romanian openside Ovidiu Tonita rescued with a sliding take.

Rather than going further behind, the visitors struck back to draw level again thanks to a long-range drop-goal from Laharrague. Moments after the break they had more to celebrate as their Romanian connection fired to produce the opening try. Tonita pirouetted through a tackle and offloaded to Tincu, who dummied the cover defence and crashed over out wide.

Laharrague could not add the extras as Clermont coach Vern Cotter unloaded his big guns from the bench. Domingo jogged on to replace Debaty at loose-head and set up a face off against French team-mate Nicolas Mas while Parra replaced Kevin Senio at scrum-half.

James narrowed the gap to two with his third penalty and Perpignan flew up offside following a sniping break from Floch, conceding the lead to James' fourth. The away side's discipline continued to undermine their effort with Chouly sent to the sin-bin for killing the ball and Clermont struck at a vital time in the game.

Parra sniped at the heart of the Perpignan defence and was given willing support by Jamie Cudmore, who charged for the line and was stopped inches short. Parra re-emerged to find quick ball from the ruck and James fired a perfect pass to Floch, who coasted through huge gap to score.

Perpignan showed heart to fight back with a series of drives in the Clermont 22 and Laharrague rewarded their efforts by slotting a penalty. Mele could not close the gap further with Perpignan's next attempt and James punished his profligacy by chipping over a drop-goal following a lost lineout.

Bonnaire saw yellow soon after for a swinging arm, allowing Mele to narrow the gap with another penalty. The visitors set about building position in the closing minutes and were gifted one last opportunity by a careless knock-on from Nalaga. The giant wing was saved from the nightmare scenario by an equally sloppy knock-on from Perpignan No.8 Henry Tuilagi, with the game going the way of Les Jaunards at the death.

Clermont taste revenge against Perpignan | Rugby Union | French Top 14 | Rugby Match Pack | Scrum.com

**dudeabides** · 03-06-2010, 11:24 AM

Castres v Brive:

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Romain Teulet was in inspired form as Castres reclaimed top spot in the Top 14 courtesy of a 35-10 victory over Brive at the Stade Pierre Antoine on Saturday afternoon.

After being briefly usurped by Clermont Auvergne, who defeated Perpignan the night before, Castres returned to the summit in fine style, running in four tries, through Joe Tekori, Teulet, Pierre-Emmanuel Garcia and Chris Masoe, in a commanding win. Fullback Teulet also contributed 15 points with the boot. Brive managed a solitary converted touchdown from Lachie Mackay and a penalty from Alexis Palisson by way of a response.

Castres were always in control of the game. Teulet had already stroked over three penalties by the time Tekori nipped in for the opening try of the afternoon, on 22 minutes. Mackay responded for the visitors moments later but Teulet crossed just after the half hour mark to put his side back in command.

Brive proved nothing if not spirited and they reduced their arrears with a Palisson penalty just after half-time. However, they were ultimately undone by the 54th-minute sin-binning of Simon Azoulai, with a ruthless Castres dotting twice whilst the replacement forward was off the pitch, through Garcia and Masoe.

The bonus point thus secured, Castres coasted through the final quarter on their way to a victory which sees them end the weekend two points clear of Clermont as well as maintaining this season's unbeaten home record.

Toulon v Biarritz:

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Toulon boosted their hopes of securing a play-off place by edging out Biarritz 21-20 in a dramatic encounter at the Stade Felix-Mayol.

The home side were trailing by 12 points after an hour but brought themselves back into the game with two penalties in the space of four minutes from Felipe Contepomi, who was starting at fly-half in the absence of England's Jonny Wilkinson.

Toulon poured forward in search of the converted try which they needed to win the game. They finally made the breakthrough with three minutes to go when Jean Charles Orioli crashed over. Contepomi still needed to add the extras to nick it for Toulon but the Argentine did just that, much to the delight of the home fans.

It was a desperately difficult defeat for Biarritz to take. It was they who had opened the scoring, through their goal-kicking scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili 16 minutes in. Contepomi hit back for Toulon and the hosts moved ahead when Gabirieli Lovobalavu dived over midway through the first half.

However, Damien Traille and Yachvili scored either side of half time to seemingly put the visitors in complete control of the game. Orioli and Contepomi had other ideas, though.

Castres see off Brive | Rugby Union | French Top 14 | Rugby News | Scrum.com

**dudeabides** · 03-06-2010, 11:57 AM

Stade v Toulouse:

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David Skrela helped himself to 19 points as Toulouse recorded a stunning 29-0 demolition of Stade Francais before 80,000 fans in Saint Denis on Saturday.

Toulouse were utterly dominant throughout and this in spite of the fact that they lost Frederic Michalak to what looked like a serious knee injury after just over four minutes of action. Skrela was in majestic form with the boot. With Toulouse battering their hosts up front, the veteran fly-half landed three penalties to put nine points between the sides at the interval.

Six minutes into the second half, Toulouse finally yielded the try their superiority warranted, Gregory Lamboley crashing over with the aid of a clever dummy after being the recipient of a favourable rebound.

Skrela dissected the uprights with the resulting conversion attempt before continuing his flawless exhibition of goal-kicking by landing two further penalties to put 22 points between the sides after just over an hour of play.

The home fans were stunned and they began to trickle out of the Stade de France when Cencus Johnston dived over after a blistering break from Yann David. Stade's humiliation was complete.

Bourgoin v Montauban:

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Bourgoin enjoyed a crucial 22-14 victory over fellow strugglers Montauban at the Stade Pierre Rajon.

After Benjamin Boyet and Leonard Olivier had exchanged early penalties, Wessel Jooste crashed over for the hosts shortly after coming on as a replacement for Bourgoin's injured No.8 Thomas Genevois. Boyet made no mistake with the conversion attempt and then stroked over a penalty on the half hour to put ten points between the sides.

However, Olivier landed two penalties before the interval to keep Montauban in touch and the momentum shifted emphatically in their favour when Arganese touched down in the 43rd minute, just seconds after Bourgoin lock Coenie Basson had been sent to the sin bin.

Bourgoin touched it out, though, and managed to see out the game without the concession of any further scores, while at the same time racking up two more penalties, though Alberto di Bernardo, to ensure that their visitors were left without the consolation of a losing bonus point.

Albi v Bayonne:

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Albi, meanwhile, remain rooted to the foot of the table after a devastating 46-13 defeat by Bayonne at the Stade Jean Dauger.

Lionel Mazars bagged a brace for the home side, while Arnaud Heguy, Thibault Lacroix, Sam Gerber and David Roumieu all scored one try apiece. Michel Denetre scored Albi's only try on what was a demoralising and humiliating afternoon for the men from the Midi-Pyrénées.

Remarkably, in light of the one-sided nature of the final scoreline, Albi were well in the game for well over half an hour. However, with the scores tied at three points apiece after early penalties from Cedric Garcia and Benjamin Lapeyre, Albi were rocked by the loss of Bastien Marut to the sin bin just four minutes before the break.

Bayonne wasted little time in capitalising on their numerical advantage, sending Heguy over just 60 seconds later. Mazars claimed the first of his two tries on 54 minute's and the centre's effort was swiftly followed by another from Lacroix.

Denetre replied to provide Albi with a flicker of hope but it was quickly extinguished by Mazars, who dotted again in the 66th minute. Bayonne were now rampant and not even a yellow card for Jean Jo Marmouyet failed to derail them, the hosts rounding out a morale-boosting win with further tries from Gerber and Rumieu in the closing minutes.

Castres see off Brive | Rugby Union | French Top 14 | Rugby News | Scrum.com

**dudeabides** · 03-06-2010, 06:27 PM

Montpelier v Racing Metro:

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Elsewhere, Racing Metro's push for a play-off place was dealt a blow with a 22-19 loss to Montpellier at Stade Yves du Manoir. The kicking exploits of fly-half Jonathan Wisniewski and centre Frans Steyn gave Racing a narrow 9-6 lead at half-time and they extended their advantage after the break thanks to a try from winger Sireli Bobo. The boot of Federico Todeschini kept Montpellier in touch with four penalties and he also converted a late try from replacement prop Eugene van Staden to bring his side level. But there was still time for the fullback to steal the win for the hosts with his fifth and final penalty.

Castres see off Brive | Rugby Union | French Top 14 | Rugby News | Scrum.com

The top 5 in the table (only 4 make the semi's of course) after 21:

1. Castres (13-5-3) 67 pts.
2. Clermont Auvergne (12-6-3) 65 pts.
3. Perpignan (13-8) 62 pts.
4. Toulouse (12-8-1) 60 pts.
5. Toulon (13-7-1) 59 pts.