Clermont cruise: Top 14 wrap
Clermont closed the gap on Top 14 leaders Toulouse on Saturday with 35-5 home win over the below-strength defending champions.
Last Updated: 03/03/12 11:29pm
Clermont closed the gap on Top 14 leaders Toulouse on Saturday with 35-5 home win over the below-strength defending champions.
Biarritz climbed out of the relegation zone thanks to convincing win over Bordeaux-Bègles in Dax.
It proved to be a great day for Biarritz as they move above Basque rivals Bayonne, who were denied victory by a single point away to Racing Metro.
Brive also boosted their survival hopes with a solid win at home to Stade Français but Perpignan slipped closer to the drop zone after losing to Agen.
SU Agen 22-7 USA Perpignan
Stade Armandie, Agen
A great result for Agen, who climb to seventh in the standings, just one point short of the play-off places. Perpignan meanwhile are in trouble, just two points clear of the relegation zone.
Agen led 7-6 at half time courtesy of an early try from former Australia 'A' centre Junior Pelesasa.
Five second-half penalties from Conrad Barnard proved enough for victory.
Perpignan came back in the closings stages through a try from Damien Chouly with a late penalty from James Hook secured a losing bonus point for the Catalans.
Biarritz Olympique 38-13 Union Bordeaux-Bègles
Stade Maurice Boyau, Dax
Dimitri Yachvili was the star of the show for Biarritz (as usual), scoring 25 points - including two tries - to guide the Basques to their first bonus-point win of the year.
BO had asked for this weekend's clash to be postponed due to the absence of their French internationals and were ignored but in a strange twist of fate a back injury saw Yachvili return to the club last week.
Biarritz led 17-3 at half-time thanks to tries from Yachvili and hooker Arnaud Heguy.
Taku Ngwenya added his name to the scoresheet after the break before Yachvili completed his brace to secure the bonus point that lifts BO out of the red zone despite replacement Louis-Benoit Madaule's late score for UBB.
CA Brive Corrèze 25-9 Stade Français Paris
Stade Amédée Domenech, Brive
Stade Français lose on the road, again, and drop from sixth to eighth in the process. Brive meanwhile took a step closer to safety with their second win in as many weeks.
Felipe Contepomi kicked Stade Français into an ealry lead but Brive were ahead 11-9 at half-time thanks to a try from flank Thibault Dubarry, who touched down after sterling work from the home pack.
Error-prone Stade Français were kept scoreless in the second period.
Replacement hooker Iuri Natriashvili crashed over for Brive in the dying moments.
Racing-Métro 22-21 Aviron Bayonnais
Stade Yves Du Manoir - Colombes (Paris)
There was late drama in Paris as a try in the 70th minute from Sireli Bobo saw Racing claim victory, climb above Stade Français to sixth in the standings and send Bayonne back into the relegation zone in one foul swoop.
Bayonne led 12-9 at half-time thanks to four penalties from South African fly-half Jacques-Louis Potgieter.
Racing full-back Gaetan Germain kicked his third penalty soon after the break to level matters.
The kicking duel continued until Fijian international Bobo's fantastic solo effort, which saw him beat two defenders before ing turning on the afterburners, handed les Franciliens victory.
Bayonne head home with a losing bonus but reassured of their ability to fight for survival after a strong performance.
ASM Clermont Auvergne 35-5 Stade Toulousain
Parc des Sports Marcel Michelin, Clermont Ferrand
The clash of the giants proved to a be a lopsided affair as Clermont maintained their impressive record at home.
Toulouse nevertheless retain the championship lead by four points as this is their first loss since October.
Clermont ruled from start to finish against a disappointing and indisciplined Toulouse side.
The visitors made life easy for les Jaunards with a plethora of mistakes as fly-half David Skrela could punish his former side from the kicking tee to give Clermont a 9-0 lead.
Yves Donguy intercepted to set up Toulouse academy product Aurélien Impérial for Toulouse's only try in 23 minutes.
Skrela found the target again to give the hosts a 12-5 leads at the break before Gonzalo Canale score to put Clermont well clear.
An intercept try from Brent Russell in the 80th minute rubbed salt into Toulouse's wounds.
Castres Olympique v Lyon Olympique
Stade Pierre Antoine, Castres
It was a low-scoring affair in the late Top 14 game as Castres and Lyon played out a 6-6 draw.
Romain Teulet kicked two penalties for the hosts while Regis Lespinas replied for Lyon, who are bottom of the standings and four points off their drop rivals Bayonne and Biarritz.
