Top 14
Stade Francais beat Toulon to move top
ESPN Staff
December 28, 2014
Toulon were well beaten at Stade Francais © Getty Images
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Stade Francais moved top of the Top 14 table with an impressive 30-6 victory over championship rivals Toulon.

Sergio Parisse's early try and 11 points from the boot of Jules Plisson gave the hosts a strong lead, but Nicolas Sanchez's drop goal and a penalty from Leigh Halfpenny reduced the deficit to 10 points at the break.

It remained that way until the final five minutes, where the hosts ran riot. Replacement Jeremy Sinzelle and Zurab Zhvania both crossed the whitewash and saw their efforts converted by Plisson as Stade Francais leapfrogged their rivals into top spot.

Castres claimed a crucial win over Montpellier to heap pressure on fellow Top 14 strugglers Lyon.

Last season's finalists dragged themselves off the bottom of the table, albeit with Lyons still to play high-flying Clermont, with a vital 27-9 victory over mid-table Montpellier.

Rory Kockott kicked five penalties with Thomas Combezou crossing for two tries, while Montpellier could only muster points from the boot of Teddy Iribaren, who was sent to the sin-bin on 52 minutes.

Montpellier also lost replacement back-row Fred Quercy to a yellow card late in the second-half, but Castres could not find a way through to force a bonus-point victory.

Lyon, though, were also in upset mode as a last-gasp Kendrick Lynn try - and conversion from Jerome Porical - earned them a crucial 16-13 victory against second-place Clermont.

Peceli Yato's early try and eight points from the boot of Brock James gave the visitors a healthy 13-3 lead, but six points from Porical had Lyon back in it approaching the full-time whistle. However, Lynn went over in the 79th minute before Porical's last boot of the game sealed the win.

Elsewhere, Bordeaux-Begles kept alive their hopes of a play-off place with a convincing 46-10 win over Brive.

Bordeaux touched down for an impressive six tries, including a penalty, while Brive claimed a try of their own via wing Malakai Bakaniceva.

Meanwhile, Oyonnax and La Rochelle defeated Bayonne and Grenoble respectively, while earlier in the day Toulouse edged past Racing Metro 15-9 after two league defeats in a row.

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