Stade Francais deepen Perpignan woes

Stade Francais deepened Perpignan's Top 14 home woes with a runaway 35-16 victory on Friday, stretching the Catalan club's losing streak at the Stade Aime Giral to seven matches. Four tries from Samoa full-back Paul Williams, France hooker Dimitri Szarzewski, Italy captain Sergio Parisse and Argentine back Martin Rodriguez, allied with 13 points from the boot of scrum-half Julien Dupuy and a late Felipe Contepomi conversion, saw the Parisians take an offensive bonus point from their first away win of the season. Perpignan, whose head coach Jacques Delmas was sacked earlier this week following the 23-13 European Challenge Cup defeat by Newport Gwent-Dragons, are now in the hands of forwards coach Bernard Goutta and his backs counterpart Christophe Manas. But the duo could only look on as their side scored a sole try through winger Julien Candelon with James Hook kicking the rest of the points, the Catalan club failing to make their territorial dominance show on the scoreboard. Bayonne had Benjamin Boyet to thank as the fly-half booted five penalties from five shots at goal as the Basque side beat Top 14 newcomers Lyon 15-9. Eric Tomamichel (2) and Romain Loursac both booted penalties for a Lyon side that claimed a defensive bonus point after Wales scrum-half Mike Phillips infringed deep into injury time. And Racing-Metro made short thrift of struggling Biarritz, rooted to the bottom of the table with a sole victory in the Top 14 this season. The high-spending Parisian club notched up three tries through Julien Saubade (2) and Lionel Nallet, Jonathan Wisniewski hitting two conversions and a penalty, with Argentine playmaker Juan Martin Hernandez also hitting two penalties. Biarritz, who play Bayonne on Tuesday in the Basque derby, could only rack up three penalties in reply through Jean-Pascale Barraque (2) and Benoit Baby. The victory was a welcome result for Racing, whose confidence had been shaken with two defeats in their opening two European Cup matches, but will have now been boosted ahead of next weekend's Parisian derby against Stade Francais. Saturday's games see leaders Toulouse travel to Brive, second-place Clermont away to Montpellier, Castres hosting Toulon in the battle for third spot, and Agen playing Bordeaux-Begles.