Top 14
Bordeaux-Begles see off Montpellier
ESPN Staff
September 14, 2014
Jules Plisson kicked four penalties and a late drop goal, Top 14, Toulon v Stade Francais, Stade Mayol, September 13, 2014
Jules Plisson kicked four penalties and a late drop goal for Stade Francais © Getty Images
Enlarge

Bordeaux-Begles saw off Montpellier 27-21 on Sunday with Pierre Bernard finishing the game with 17 points.

The scores were locked at 21-21 with 14 minutes left but Rene Ranger's yellow card cost Montpellier dear as Bordeaux closed out the game with two late Bernard penalties. Bordeaux were 18-11 in front at half-time with Metuisela Talebulamaijaina and Jan Andre Marais crossing for the home side while Benjamin Fall went over for Montpellier.

It was the visitors who started the second 40 the better with Fall grabbing his second in the 61st minute, after Bernard and Benoit Paillaugue exchanged penalties only for the home side to win the game late on.

Saturday

Toulon lost at home for the first time since January as Stade Francais secured a 28-24 victory at Mayol.

Alexandre Flanquart and Julien Arias went over for Stade in the first half, though the reigning Top 14 and European champions battled back after the break with tries from Xavier Chiocci and Drew Mitchell.

However, Jules Plisson's kicking proved the difference, landing four penalties and a late drop goal to seal a dersved victory.

Ferocious second-half defence earned Clermont Auvergne a 9-13 victory over Toulouse at the Stade Ernest Wallon. The hosts, trailing by seven points won a penalty after the hooter had sounded but spurned the opportunity to earn a draw in favour of accepting a losing bonus point as Toby Flood added kicked for goal.

Julien Bardy's 48th minute try was the difference between the sides. Bardy, who'd spent the end of the first-half in the blood-bin, bundled over after Aurelien Rougerie was held up two metres short, with the TMO confirming the score.

The sides went into the interval with six points apiece, although Clermont were profligate in the first-half as fly-half Camille Lopez missed three penalties and a drop-goal. Flood made it 6-3 with an excellent kick from out wide before Lopez levelled the scores two minutes before the break.

The visitors were much improved in the second-half, defending tirelessly as Toulouse, spurred on by vocal home support, spent much of the final ten minutes camped in Clermont territory. Clermont held firm until a last minute penalty offered a share of the spoils. Toulouse played it safe, however, much to the disappointment of the home fans.

Elsewhere, Marc Andreu went over twice as Racing Metro secured a bonus point 28-11 win over Lyon.

Maxime Machenaud crossed first for the hosts before adding a simple conversion, but he failed to add the extras next time around after Andreu ran in for Racing's second score.

A Jerome Porical penalty reduced the deficit on 25 minutes but Benjamin Dambielle, taking over from Machenaud, added one of his own to make it 15-3.

Dambielle repeated the trick after the restart to further stretch the lead before Franck Romanet went over and Lachie Munroto scored a penalty to give Lyon hope.

Brice Dulin then produced a brilliant individual try before Andreu went over in the corner to secure the bonus point.

Bayonne eased to a 23-6 victory as Brive saw four players yellow-carded at Jean Dauger.

Simon Pinet was first to go for the use of a boot on an opponent with Joe Rokocoko punishing the visitors by going over in the corner and Blair Stewart converting for 7-0.

Andrew Malilei was then sin-binned for a high tackle on Marvin O'Connor, with Dominiko Waqaniburotu soon joining him for the same offence, and Stewart converted another penalty to make it 10-0 at the break.

Gaetan Germain scored Brive's first points on 53 minutes with a penalty but with Kevin Buys then shown a yellow card, Stewart added another three points. The pair swapped penalties again before Simon Labouyrie crossed from a rolling maul to seal the win for Bayonne.

Tries from Maurie Fa'asavalu, Maxime Le Bourhis, Dug Cudjo and Pierre Aguillon helped Oyonnax to a 40-27 victory against Grenoble at the Stade Charles Mathon.

James Hart had gone over for the visitors as well as kicking eight points, while Kevin Goze powered over for a late consolation try.

Thierry Dusautoir tackles Damien Chouly during Toulouse's clash with Clermont Auvergne © Getty Images
Enlarge

Pos Team P W D L F A PD TF TA TBP LBP Pts
1 Clermont Auvergne 5 4 0 1 116 68 +48 9 2 1 1 18
2 Stade Français 5 4 0 1 116 128 -12 12 12 1 0 17
3 Toulon 5 3 0 2 141 92 +49 14 8 1 1 14
4 Montpellier 5 3 0 2 121 93 +28 10 7 1 1 14
5 Bordeaux Begles 5 3 0 2 111 106 +5 8 9 0 1 13
6 Racing Metrotd> 5 3 0 2 91 99 -8 9 10 1 0 13
7 Grenoble 5 2 0 3 137 125 +12 15 10 2 2 12
8 Oyonnax 5 2 0 3 127 117 +10 13 11 1 2 11
9 Toulouse 5 2 0 3 108 101 +7 9 7 1 1 10
10 Bayonne 5 2 0 3 111 111 0 9 12 1 1 10
11 Brive 5 2 0 3 81 102 -21 6 5 1 0 9
12 Lyon 5 2 0 3 90 98 -8 8 8 0 1 9
13 La Rochelle 5 2 0 3 124 168 -44 10 20 1 0 9
14 Castres 5 1 0 4 84 150 -66 6 17 1 1 6

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd

Live Sports

Communication error please reload the page.