Ex-All Black scrum-half Byron Kelleher is well on his way to becoming a legend at Stade Toulousain after dominating French rugby for a couple of seasons © Getty Images

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Tournaments/Tours: French Top 14 | French Top 14

Teams: France

This weekend it was one of France's less fashionable sides, Bayonne, who made the biggest impact on the league table, with a bonus point win that sees them move in second position.

Two of the glamour sides of French Top 14 rugby were in action on Friday night and both Toulouse and Stade Francais were able to post victories, despites numerous call-ups to the French national side.

In the first match Toulouse beat Bourgoin 12-18 in Bourgoin, a result that sees Toulouse move to first place in the table. It was a tight match, with Toulouse clinical in taking their chances away from home. Tries from imports Kunavore and Kelleher were essential, as was the returning Michalak's goal kicking. Two penalties and a drop goal kept the home side in touch, but things are tough for Bourgoin, who have now lost two on the bounce at home.

Also on Friday, Stade Francais prevailed at home 19-12 against Castres. Fullback Camara scored the decisive converted try, in the 16th minute for the Parisians before going in at half-time 13-6 up. Aside from that, it was a battle of the kickers, with Stade's Oelschig and Castres' Teulet both slotting four penalties apiece.

On Saturday the season's surprise package Bayonne continued their excellent form, thumping the visiting Montpellier 42-9. The bonus point win came courtesy of tries from Roumieu, Gerner, Lacroix and Inigo, and means the side from Pyrénées-Atlantiques now occupy second spot in the league, and rightly so.

Perpignan were unable to regain top spot in the league as they lost in conclusive fashion at Clermont Auvergne 29-9. An away fixture in Clermont is one of the trickiest fixtures in French rugby, and so it proved as tries from James and Vermeulen, plus five penalties from James, got the job done for the home side.

Elsewhere on Saturday there were two low scoring games, which saw Mont-de-Marsan see off visting Dax 12-6; and Toulon get a valuable home win again Biarritz 10-5. The second of those results was something of a shock, as Toulon have languished at the bottom of table all season, while the once dominant Biarritz appear to be in freefall after losing three on the trot.

In the final game of the weekend, Brive saw off the challenge of visitors Montauban, 33-28. Brive scored three tries, and it was the boot of ex-Leicester Tiger Andy Goode that was the decisive factor, as he kept the scoreboard ticking over with three conversions, three penalties and drop goal. Montauban are in sixth following their loss, while Brive sit in ninth.