News
Top 14 Wrap: Round Seven
October 04 2008
Biarritz were the big winners in a weekend of big scores at they replied to their critics with a 43-point drubbing of Montpellier.
Bonus points were the order of the day in Round Seven as leaders Stade Français, Brive an Biarritz added five points to their campaign.
Perpignan were impressive winners over Toulon but let their bonus point slip in the dying minutes of the game.
Dax provided the surprise of the day, beating Bayonne to score their third home win and their second over Basque opposition.
Results:
Perpignan 37 - 12 Toulon
Stade Français 34 - 16 Montauban
Biarritz 46 - 3 Montpellier
Brive 53 - 11 Mont de Marsan
Castres 10 - 28 Toulouse
Bourgoin 23 - 30 Clermont
Dax 27-17 Bayonne
Standings:
1 Stade Français 31
2 Toulouse 23
3 Perpignan 21
4 Clermont 20
5 Bayonne 20
6 Montpellier 18
7 Biarritz 17
8 Brive 14
9 Dax 14
10 Montauban 14
11 Toulon 13
12 Bourgoin 10
13 Castres 8
14 Mont-de-Marsan 7
All systems are go for Toulouse ahead of the Heineken Cup. The champions were easy winners over their south-west neighbours in some difficult weather conditions (which saw the players sprinting from the field in a hail storm at one stage.) The visitors were however unable to score an offensive bonus point.
Once again Castres' frailty in defence was their undoing and they remain stuck in the Top 14 basement.
Bad news for Toulouse is an injury to Jean-Baptiste Elissalde who withdrew before kick-off and will miss the match against Bath next week.
Perpignan 37 - 12 Toulon
A week after losing to Toulouse, Perpignan got back on the winning track in style. The Catalans dominated the opening twenty minutes but were guilty of trying to be too fancy. The home side lead 9-0 with full-back Jerome Porical kicking three penalties against an uncharacteristically timid Toulon team.
Tana Umaga's charges reacted after the break with a try from scrum-half Anthony Giacobazzi, but the revival was short lived.
With the Varois reduced to fourteen men, the Perpignan backs ran in three tries (Jean-Philippe Grandclaude, Julien Candelon, Adrien Panté) to add to a penalty-try awarded against the Toulon scrum in the space of eight minutes, ending any hopes of a first away win for the big spenders.
With the win and five points secured, Perpignan coach Jacques Brunel was furious to see Toulon score a try, by full-back Orene Ai'i, two minutes from the end to deny the Catalans their bonus point.
Stade Français 34 - 16 Montauban
Seven from seven for Stade Français as they got the better of a team against whom they often struggle. It took a while for the championship leaders to get on top though after the scores were level (9-9) at half time.
Two tries from wing Djibril Camara and hooker Mathieu Blin got the ball rolling for Stade before another two, from centre Matthieu Bastareaud and then loose forward Mauro Bergamasco, secured the bonus point for Ewen McKenzie's pink-clad Parisians.
But the victory was tainted by injuries to Australian winger Mark Gasnier and scrum-half Alexandre Albouy. Both players now face a fitness battle to recover in time for the side's European Cup opener against Ulster next weekend.
Gasnier, making his home debut in the Top 14, suffered an ankle injury trying to catch an up-and-under while Albouy picked up a knee injury. He limped off after six minutes to be replaced by South African Noel Oelschig.
Biarritz 46 - 3 Montpellier
With rumours running rampant about the future of Biarritz's coaches, the Basques shut their critics up in consummate fashion. It took just six minutes for the home side to open the scores when centre Damien Traille crossed the line. Not wanting to make any mistakes BO played a cautious fist half and led 10-0 at the break.
The second period was a different story however as Jacques Delmas and Jack Isaac's team scores no less than five tries, with Traille ending what he started with the his second and Biarritz sixth after full-back Nicolas Brusque, fly-half Julien Peyrelongue, and wings Philippe Bidabé and Takudzwa Ngwenya had all touched down.
Brive 53 - 11 Mont de Marsan
Brive doubled their winning tally for the season after last week's success against Dax. Seven tries and a bonus point will do the black-and-whites' moral the world of good after a shocking start to the season.
It was one way traffic in the first half as English wing Ben Cohen, Welsh full-back Barry Davies, Fijian full-back Norman Ligairi and scrum-half Fabrice Estebanez scored tries for the home side. Mont-de-Marsan reduced the gap with a try from Carré just before the break, but Brive kept the heat on the second period as Barry Davies scored a second and Ligairi completed his hat-trick.
English fly-half Andy Goode put in a masterclass with the boot with six penalties, a conversion and one drop goal.
Bourgoin 23 - 30 Clermont
Clermont finally got a win away from home in a see-saw battle, while Bourgoin rescued a losing bonus point (their sixth in seven games) with a try in the 80th minute.
Bourgoin led 10-6 at half time thanks to a try from South African centre Rudi Coetzee. Bit in a repeat of last weeks loss to Stade Français, CSBJ cracked in the second forty minutes. Despite dominating up front, Bourgoin were unable to make Clermont pay as the visitors better and better organised.
Clermont complimented solid defence with their trademark attacking flair as wings Julian Malzieu and Napaliani Nalaga scored a try each to add to two earlier penalties from fly-half Brock James to move ahead.
Two tries in the final five minutes, from Bourgoin centre Mathieu Nicolas and South African lock Coenie Basson left the try tally at three-all, but Clermont with the win.
Once again the Clermont scrum was put in real difficulty and Vern Cotter will be a worried coach ahead of next weekend's clash with Sale.
Dax 27-10 Bayonne
This is a huge result for Dax who win their second Basque-Landais debry after beating Biarritz two weeks ago.
The home side scored all their points in the first half and led 27-10 at half time.
Bayonne got off to a good start thanks to a try from Remy Martin in the 2nd minute.
Dax however were not to be held down and were all attack in the first half, scoring three tries in reply, the last coming from Samoan full-back Gavin Williams just before the break.
Bayonne managed to pull a try back in the second half thanks to their tight five but were unable to salvage any points from a disappointing trip inland.