Top 14
Late Parisse try denies Toulouse
ESPN Staff
October 27, 2012
Sergio Parisse celebrates Stade Francais' win over Toulon, , Stade Francais v Toulon, Top 14, Stade de France, Paris, France, October 23, 2010
Sergio Parisse grabbed two tries as Stade Francais beat reigning champions Toulouse © Getty Images
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Stade Francais captain Sergio Parisse scored a late try to give his team a 28-24 win at home to reigning champions Toulouse on Saturday.

The Italy No. 8 was on the end of a flowing move and he took a pass from scrum-half Jerome Fillol to race over. It was his second try of the match after he had picked up from a scrum to score the first try of the match on 18 minutes. Toulouse's Vincent Clerc then found his way to the line in the 27th minute and Edwin Maka pulled scored a second just before half-time to put the champions in control.

Toulouse fly-half Sebastien Bezy kept the scoreboard ticking over, before Fillol scored Stade's second try to bring them back into contention. Florian Fritz's long-range penalty appeared to have earned his team victory, before Parisse's late heroics secured the victory.

Toulon stay top after they ran in seven tries in a 59-0 win at home to Bayonne. Steffon Armitage scored twice and his brother Delon grabbed one. There were also tries for South Africans Bakkies Botha and Joe van Niekerk, hooker Jean-Charles Orioli and wings Vincent Martin and David Smith.

James Hook was on target with a late penalty and a drop goal to earn Perpignan a 17-13 win at home to Racing Metro. Olly Barkley remained on the bench for the entire 80 minutes, with Argentine playmaker Juan Martin Hernandez handed Racing's number 10 jersey.

The Catalans were ahead at 11-6 at half-time following a try from from Tongan prop Alisona Taumalolo and two Hook penalties. Racing No. 8 Sakiusa Matadigo scored a try that Hernandez converted to put the Parisians ahead, before Hook found the target to deny them late on.

On Friday night Clermont Auvergne kept up the pressue on Top 14 leaders Toulon with a 19-12 victory over Biarritz at the Stade Marcel Michelin.

A second minute try from winger Noa Nakaitaci put the Les Jaunards on course for their seventh win of the campaign that took the level with their rivals at the top of the table. Fly-half David Skrela converted the try and added four further penalties to ensure his side returned to winning ways on the domestic stage having lost to Castres in their most recent Top 14 outing.

A penalty apiece for winger Benoit Baby and fly-half Jean Pascal Barrque kept Biarritz in touch at the break despite the loss of centre Damien Traille to a yellow card on the half hour mark. Baby and replacement Julien Peyrelongue reduced the arrears in the second half but they were guilty of not capitalising on yellow cards for Clermont back-row duo Elvis Vermeulen and Julien Bardy. As a result, Clermont's outstanding unbeaten run at the Stade Marcel Michelin has now reached 49 games in all competitions.

There were also wins for Castres who beat Agen 22-14, Bordeaux-Begles, who finished with a 17-12 victory over Mont de Marsan and Montpellier who saw off Grenoble 23-6.

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