We are told over and over, endlessly, that winter freezes supporters’ ears and wings’ hands, and warms up only the lovers of a (well) driven maul. This round offered a scorching rebuttal: 42 – 20, that is the average score of a record-breaking weekend! Heatwave over the Top 14!
Montpellier – Bayonne: 62-22 (12 tries)
Bayonne really cannot get it right away from home, Montpellier feasted without ever wobbling (34-10 at half-time) and sit among the chasing pack (with Toulon, UBB and Stade Français), among those with ambitions of a top-six place or better.
Perpignan – Toulouse: 30-27 (7 tries)
Photo: Philippe Lecoeur – FEP/ Icon Sport
Those Catalans, bringing down leaders Toulouse, who rotated their side. Perpignan climb out of the relegation zone with this important win, Aimé-Giral swept away with joy, the pressure now on Montauban. Losing bonus point for the leaders.
Bordeaux-Bègles Racing 92: 62-20 (11 tries)
Racing 92 or 82, as in the number of points scored in this crazy match? A Gironde master class shortly after the hour from Penaud and Bielle-Biarrey, in a game where Hugues and the Paris side had stayed dangerous (they had!) for almost an hour before catching a chill, or rather being struck by lightning orchestrated by a Jalibert in exhibition mode. Madness!
Montauban – Clermont: 19-34 (9 tries)
The ASM men secured a rare away win (admittedly at the scarlet-clad bottom club, given USAP’s success against Toulouse) that brings them back to within two points of a qualifying place. Montauban are sinking, now two points adrift of Perpignan in the championship at the bottom.
Lyon – Pau 22-17 (5 tries)
Pau took a solid losing bonus point away from a Lyon side struggling in the race for qualification, and all but obliged to win: almost a caricature of a good, meaty mid-season match between two big outfits, a hell of a game.
Clash of extremes: Perpignan, in trouble until now, spring a big surprise by beating undisputed leaders Toulouse.
La Rochelle – Toulon: 66-0 (10 tries)
There are not many French clubs who have been champions of Europe… And here, how can you call it anything but a dead end? Imagine an OM – PSG that ends 10 – 0. Move along, nothing to see. A shame, and damaging at every level.
Stade Français – Castres: 33-15 (7 tries)
Kockott against Kockott, meaning the former Tarn number 9 turned Parisian, now co-coach alongside his best enemy from the France days, Parra. And it worked: a bonus-point win and third place, in a fiercely contested table, made that bit more secure.
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