Toulouse prevent Montpellier from going top

Montpellier missed the chance to go provisionally top of the French league as they lost 33-25 at home to Toulouse on Saturday.

Montpellier started the day a point behind Clermont, who play Castres later on Saturday night, but the failure to even take a losing bonus point against the record four-time European champions saw them drop to fourth.

Racing 92 took over the top 14 summit by a point after a late fightback saw them beat Brive 17-14, while Toulouse leap-frogged Montpellier on points difference.

Montpellier started the match with five Australians in their line-up, as well as Marvin O'Connor, the French son of a former Australian rugby league player, on the wing.

South African brothers Jannie and Bismarck du Plessis were also in the stands to watch their new teammates, having finished their Springbok World Cup campaign on Friday.

But it was Toulouse, who could count on returning France internationals Thierry Dusautoir and Louis Picamoles who found their form early on.

After scrum-half Sebastien Bezy knocked over two penalties, Toulouse launched an attack form inside their own half, stretching the Montpellier defence before former England international Toby Flood sold Aussie Jesse Mogg a dummy and streaked over under the posts.
His centre partner Gael Fickou repeated the trick with another feint that also fooled Mogg before he too crossed the whitewash, Bezy converting both times as Toulouse led 20-3.

Montpellier, and Mogg, seemed to have hit straight back but the former Wallaby international's try was chalked off for an earlier knock-on by Fulgence Ouedraogo.

Toulouse's reprieve was short-lived though as Aussie scrum-half Nick White picked-up from the back of a five-metre scrum, dummied Bezy and darted over.

Ben Lucas converted and added two penalties as the hosts turned around trailing 20-13 at the break.

Another Bezy penalty stretched Toulouse's lead but Fiji No.8 Akapusi Qera rolled over from the back of a maul to reduce the arrears.

Yet Samoa wing Paul Perez dived over in the corner for Toulouse's third try and another Qera try proved scant consolation.

Racing scored two tries in the final 20 minutes to snatch victory against Brive having trailed 14-0 at one point.

The Parisians were in trouble at the break, 14-3 down with replacement New Zealander prop Ben Tameifuna in the sinbin.
But the big-spending capital-based club turned it around as French internationals Edy Ben Arous and Marc Andreu scored the tries that guided them to victory, while 1997 European champions Brive had Thomas Acquier and Putasi Luafutu yellow carded.

Champions Stade Francais's miserable start to the season continued despite welcoming back France international forwards Pascal Pape and Rabah Slimani for the trip to rock-bottom Agen.

The hosts ran in three tries and held off a late Stade comeback -- the champions scored 13 unanswered points late on -- to win 28-23.

Stade snatched a losing bonus point that ensured they remained above Agen at the foot of the table.

Former All Black scrum-half Piri Weepu scored his first try in France as Oyonnax crushed Pau 42-23.

Oyonnax ran in five tries to earn a bonus point against the second division champions and leap above both their opponents and Stade Francais in the table.

Bordeaux-Begles moved up to fifth after beating La Rochelle 21-16.

Reigning three-time European champions Toulon travel to Grenoble on Sunday.

Source: AFP