Top 14
Castres cling on thanks to last-gasp Kockott penalty
ESPN Staff
March 7, 2015
Rory Kockott kept his cool to score a last-second penalty and keep Castres' survival hopes alive © Getty Images
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Rory Kockott scored a last-gasp penalty to keep Castres' Top 14 survival hopes alive as they beat relegation rivals Lyon 23-20 on Saturday.

The home side's victory was made to be more impressive having had to play 60 minutes with 14 men following Yannick Caballero's controversial first-half dismissal for an apparent knee on Julien Puricelli.

Lyon took the lead through Toby Arnold's try, converted by Jerome Porical, before the latter went over the whitewash to double the lead to 14-0 following a further two points from Stephen Brett's boot.

Saimone Taumoepeau's try reduced the deficit only for Brett to add another penalty. Replacement Max Evans then went over for the home side and Kockott converted to move Castres within five points.

Smart thinking from Kockott saw him level the scores with a quick-fire try off the back of the scrum, but he failed to convert. Brett then put the visitors back ahead with another penalty, only for Kockott to kick two of his own in the last five minutes to complete the unlikeliest of victories.

Clermont Auvergne moved temporarily to the summit after they completed a 28-16 win against Bayonne.

Peceli Yato scored two tries in the opening half and fly-half Bock James added 11 points with the boot as the home side led 21-10 at the break; David Roumieu's try was converted by Martin Bustos Moyano, who added another two penalties to keep Bayonne in touch.

Bustos Moyano added six points from his boot after the break, but Julien Bonnaire's late cross was converted by Mike Delany to seal the win.

However, Clermont's time at the top was short-lived as Toulon returned to the summit thanks to a 34-11 victory against Brive.

Two tries from David Smith and another from Juan Smith plus five points from the boot of Nicolas Sanchez gave the home side a healthy lead at the break, with the visitors only replying through a Gaetan Germain-penalty.

Germain added another three points before David Smith went over for his hat-trick, with Sanchez adding the extras. Replacement Alfi Mafi went over for Brive but by then it was too little too late as Smith capped a superb performance with his fourth try, before Sanchez converted late on.

Racing Metro kept the pressure on the frontrunners with a 34-29 victory against Grenoble at Le Havre.

It was Grenoble who led at half-time thanks to Xavier Mignot's try and 11 points from number 10 Jonathan Wisniewski. Maxime Machenaud and Antonie Claassen both went over for Racing in the first 40 minutes, with the former twice converting.

Machenaud scored with another penalty shortly after half-time before converting Francois van der Merwe's effort. He then answered Wisniewski's penalty to keep the lead at eight points, but Gio Aplon crossed the whitewash for the visitors to set up a tense finish.

However, home winger Juan Imhoff's late try was converted to all but seal the win, with Wisniewski's late penalty a sole consolation for Grenoble.

Montpellier kept their play-off hopes alive as they salvaged a last-gasp 15-15 draw against La Rochelle thanks to Ben Lucas' late penalty.

Lucas had Montpellier nine points to the good after three penalties in the opening 20 minutes, but La Rochelle hit back through Jean Pascal Barraque's penalty and Hikairo Forbes' try.

Lucas scored with another penalty to move the home side 12-8 in front, but Kini Murimurivalu's late cross - converted by Fabien Fortassin - looked to have clinched victory.

However, with 82 minutes on the clock, Montpellier earned a penalty and Lucas scored with the last kick to save a draw.

Jules Plisson's 80th-minute drop goal earned a vital victory for Stade Francais at Bordeaux Begles.

First-half tries from Raphael Lakafia and Rabah Slimani were Morne Steyn, who also added another three points with the boot. Four penalties from Pierre Bernard kept the home side in touch.

Plisson added another penalty to move the visitors 20-15 in front with 15 minutes left, but when Lionel Beauxis converted a Louis-Benoit Madaule-try with three minutes remaining it looked like the home side would hold on.

However, Plisson took his chance with no time left on the clock to earn what could be a pivotal 23-22 win come the end of the season.

On Friday, Oyonnax enjoyed a 9-3 win against Toulouse. Ben Urdapilleta kicked all three penalties for the home side, with Luke McAlister on target for the visitors.

Jules Plisson celebrates his last-gasp drop goal which earned Stade Francais victory at Bordeaux © Getty Images
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