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Top 14 Wrap: Round Twelve
November 29 2008
Toulouse moved clear at the summit of the Top 14 table in a weekend of upsets that saw Clermont go down in Mont-de-Marsan and Biarritz crumble at home to Stade Français.
Perpignan scrapped past Montauban as both the Catalans and Stade Français leapfrogged above Bayonne.
Toulon were upset at home by Dax, who now move ahead of Biarritz while Castres dropped back into the relegation zone after succumbing to visiting fellow strugglers Bourgoin.
Mont-de-Marsan's hopes of staying in the Top 14 were done the world of good, while Clermont will rue underestimating their hosts by resting a couple of top players.
Brive rounded off an outstanding day for visiting sides thumping Montpellier 22-9. In fact Mont-de-Marsan were Saturday's only home winners.
Results:
Montauban 6-9 Perpignan
Castres 9-23 Bourgoin
Mont-de-Marsan 12-11 Clermont
Toulon 6-13 Dax
Biarritz 13-32 Stade Français
Montpellier 9-22 Brive
Standings: (Before Montpellier v Brive)
1 Toulouse 43
2 Stade Français 40
3 Perpignan 39
4 Bayonne 37
5 Clermont 31
6 Brive 28
7 Montauban 28
8 Montpellier 27
9 Dax 25
10 Biarritz 24
11 Bourgoin 20
12 Toulon 20
13 Castres 18
14 Mont-de-Marsan 15
Toulouse never looked in trouble and led from start to finish as Round Twelve's clash at the summit turned out to be a one-sided affair. Tries from Clement Poitrenaud, Byron Kelleher and Virgil Lacombe plus five penalties from Fred Michalak made sure that everyone in France knows who is top of the stack.
Toulouse crunched the much-vaunted Bayonne scrum as the visitors had little to offer in answer of the champions' onslaught, other than a lot of fisticuffs.
Michalak had made it 12-0 after 33 minutes before Poitrenaud scored the first try Bayonne had conceded in 397 minutes of rugby, taking the ball blind side off Kelleher after Pepito Elhorga had also spilled a high ball. On 65 minutes Toulouse once again turned the screw in the scrum, with Byron Kelleher diving over off the back of it under the posts.
That was it for the match as a contest, but Bayonne did manage to deny the home side the bonus point, scoring a try of their own through Benjamin Lhande with seven minutes to go. Virgil Lacombe put Toulouse 21 points back in front at 32-11 with two minutes to go after a trademark break from Cedric Heymans, but there was no bonus-point flourish.
Montauban 6-9 Perpignan
A penalty three minutes from time by fly-half David Mélé gave Perpignan a precious win at Sapiac after the side's were deadlocked at 3-all at the pause.
As one would expect from a tryless game, there weren't too many fireworks as the teams battled it out in very soggy conditions. Montauban will harbour some regrets after not being able to convert their second half possession into points. They generally had the better of their visitors, but will have to settle for losing bonus point.
Fabien Fortassin opened the scoring for the home side only for Mélé to level the scores four minutes later. Cedric Rosalen put Montauban ahead again with twenty minutes to play, but Mélé was on target within ten minutes to set up a grand stand finish, before ruining Montauban's day.
Castres 9-23 Bourgoin
Bourgoin finally getting a solid win under their belts after coming desperately close in their three previous encounters. It had been a closely-fought affair for 54 minutes when Castres' kiwi prop Carl Hoeft was shown a red card for stamping Bourgoin captain Julien Frier.
From being 9-6 ahead, the fourteen remaining Castrais fell apart as the Bourgoin wings ran in three tries with David Janin touching down twice before Anthony Forest finished the home side off.
After starting the season with European ambitions, Castres are now just five points clear of the bottom of the table. It's time to panic.
Mont-de-Marsan 12-11 Clermont
The upset of the day, and of the season so far. Clermont will head home with their tails between their legs after being humiliated by the championship's whipping boys.
Stade Montois earned their victory at stade Guy Boniface with a massive defensive display. Clermont's South African utility back Brent Russell scored the only try of the match in the 22nd minute, but his side were unable to trouble the scorers again.
In fact, Mont-de-Marsan fly-half Yannick Lafforgue kicked what turned out to be the winning points in the 33rd minute as the home side knuckled down to resist wave after wave of Clermont's attacks.
What a shame for Mont-de-Marsan that on the day they scored their biggest win, their direct relegation rivals, Bourgoin, won too!
Toulon 6-13 Dax
In one foul swoop Toulon plunge back into crisis as they hover dangerously above the relegation zone.
Things started well for the home side as Tusiata Pisi slotted two penalties to give Toulon a lead, but a try from Samoan full-back Gavin Williams just before half time knocked Tana Umaga's men flat. Unable to react, Toulon went pointless in the second half.
Dax, who should have been relegated last season move up to on comfy spot in mid-table.
Biarritz 13-32 Stade Français
Biarritz have hit rock bottom. After a solid first half from the hosts that saw the teams swap ends level at 10-all, Stade Français turned up the heat to score four tries in the second 40 minutes to add a bonus point to their loot plundered from the Basque country.
BO struck first with a try from American international wing Takudzwa Ngwenya after dominating the opening exchanges. The visitors replied soon afterwards when Argentinean loose forward Juan Manuel Leguizamon crashed over. It had been one a the rare Parisian incursions into the Biarritz half, but it was sign of things to come.
The second half started as had the first, with Biarritz running the show. But soon the tide would turn as the Basques were punished for their indiscipline
Full-back Julien Saubade put Stade Français in the clear with a try twenty minutes from time.
The Biarritz heads dropped, the Parisians took over.
Centre Mathieu Bastareaud scored, the Basque fans voiced their discontent, the wheels came off the Biarritz machine.
Mauro Bergamasco scored twice, the bonus point was conceded, the Basque fans ragged.
In getting back on the winning track, with their fifth away win, Stade Français climb back to second in the standings. For Biarritz, the descent into oblivion continues.
Montpellier 9-22 Brive
Brive continue to climb up the table and break into the top half of the standings. Their first win on the road this season not only confirmed their European credentials but seriously dented the confidence of one of their rivals in the dash for Heineken Cup qualification.
Victims of their own indiscipline, Montpellier were easily beaten for the second time in as many weeks.
Brive wing Regis Bianco scored the game's only try a quarter of an hour into the match after Andy Goode had put the visitors ahead with the first of his four penalties.
Three Marc McHugh first-half penalties were all that Montpellier could muster and miss out on a defensive bonus point.