Welsh international Gavin Henson scored a crucial try on his long-awaited debut as he helped Toulon beat Stade Francais 38-10.

Henson, who started in his favoured No 12 shirt, set up one try and then scored another as his efforts helped Toulon register an attacking bonus to push their claims for a play-off spot.

The former British Lions star was making his Toulon debut nearly three months after joining following a lingering calf injury. He was understandably nervy at the beginning, but settled to play a leading role in the victory and immediately earn the adoration of Toulon's jubilant fans. There was also a brace of tries for club captain Joe Van Niekerk, along with another from winger Christian Loamanu and 18 points from the boot of fly-half Jonny Wilkinson.

There was also a second yellow card in successive weeks for English lock Kris Chesney - after exchanging pleasantries with the fellow sin-binner Pascal Papé - but this time around it didn't prove so costly.

Rather, it was a 63rd-minute yellow card for Stade captain Sergio Parisse which finally sealed the result as Toulon - already leading 26-10 - powered irretrievably clear thanks to two tries in three minutes as Van Niekerk and Henson went over in quick succession.

The victory lifted them up to seventh, and back to within a point of the play-off zone with just three more league games to play - the next two of which are both at home.

As for Stade Francais, this was their fifth defeat in their last seven league games, and their 12th overall as they continue fall short of expectations. Centre Guillaume Boussés scored their only try - to offer them brief hope midway through the first half - and their Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-final against Montpellier next weekend now takes on monumental importance. 

Top 14 League Table 2010/11

Elsewhere, arguably the afternoon's most important result was achieved by Brive, who won at home 26-9 against La Rochelle to all but seal their Top 14 status for next season.

The bonus-point victory, which featured tries from Jean-Philippe Bonrepaux, Benoit Cabello and Alexis Palisson, lifted them nine points clear of La Rochelle and was the first time this season they had recorded back-to-back wins after last weekend's 50-6 trouncing of Bourgoin.

The opening of the match was an understandably tense affair given the importance of the result, but Brive gradually took control once hooker Bonrepaux went over on the half hour to put them 11-6 ahead.

Cabello stretched the lead further with his own effort on 59 minutes - after a further penalty each for both sides - and Palisson's late effort sealed the attacking bonus four minutes from time.

La Rochelle have now lost six of their last seven league games and their Top 14 future is hanging by a thread, especially after SU Agen beat Castres 21-16 on Saturday night.

Agen's win was their sixth in seven home games as they came from 13-6 down thanks to two tries in four second-half minutes. The first was scored by replacement scrum-half Maxime Machenaud just one minute after coming on, with the same player then making the break to set up Fijian winger Saimone Vaka for the decisive score shortly after.

South African fly-half Conrad Barnard kicked one of the two conversions, along with a late drop-goal and two first-half penalties as Agen, like Brive, moved nine points clear of La Rochelle and the drop zone.

Castres had earlier gone in level 6-6 at half time after a brace of Romain Teulet penalties, and even forged ahead after the break when the division's top points scorer also added a 49th-minute try. But then Agen found the desire and resources to bounce back, with their ninth league win of the season all but guaranteeing their status for next season.

Mathematical safety can now be achieved in the next league match... away to La Rochelle in round 24!

For Castres this defeat ended a timely four-match winning streak, and they slipped from third to fourth as a consequence.

Leading scorers in Top 14 2010/11

Bayonne reignited their play-off hopes with a 26-16 home win against second-placed Racing-Métro 92.

The Basques, who lost 40-10 to neighbours Biarritz last weekend, were 17-0 up by half time thanks to tries from Yoann Huget - his ninth of the campaign - and Sam Gerber. Fly-half Benjamin Boyet kicked both touchline conversions, as well as a penalty as Racing were put to the sword.

Boyet went on to add three second-half penalties to ensure the win, while Racing replied with two from Jonathan Wisniewski and a last-minute try from replacement Mikaele Tuugahala as they slipped five points behind leaders Stade Toulousain.

High-flying Montpellier registered their first away win in Top 14 since October 29th last year as they beat basement club Bourgoin 42-27.

Both sides two tries apiece in an entertaining first half which ended with Bourgoin leading 20-15. Locks Connie Basson and Camille Levast both scored for the home team in the opening period, with young full-back Gaetan Germain adding the conversion on each occasion, as well as two penalties.

For Montpellier it was a one-man effort in terms of points scored, with versatile Argentine back Martin Bustos-Moyano - this week playing at full-back - scoring two tries, a conversion and a penalty. he went on to close the gap with another penalty five minutes after the restart, before scrum-half Julien Tomas went over for Montpellier's third try soon after as the visitors pulled clear. Bustos-Moyano added the conversion and yet another penalty as Bourgoin's resistance melted following the 52nd-minute yellow card for Piet Van Zyl.

France and Montpellier fly-half Francois Trinh-Duc took immediate advantage to register his side's fourth try as the visitors moved 35-20 ahead, but a subsequent yellow card for Drickus Hancke gave Bourgoin a lifeline as they continued to battle.

A 71st-minute penalty-try offered them hope of registering only their third win of a troubled season, but Montpellier finally put paid to that when Santiago Fernandez - another Argentine - ran in an 80th-minute interception try.

The victory lifted Fabien Galthié's side up to third spot as they took advantage of Castres' away defeat at SU Agen, while Bourgoin were left to contemplate their 14th successive league loss.

Defending champions Clermont Auvergne made it back into the top six as they ran in six tries en route to a 41-13 thrashing of Biarritz. The visitors had opted to rest many of their stars ahead of next weekend's Heineken Cup clash with Stade Toulousain, and they paid the inevitable penalty.

Loic Jacquet, Marius Joubert and Wesley Fofana all scored before the break as Clermont surged 22-0 ahead. Magnus Lund's first try of the season briefly arrested Clermont's progress two minutes after the restart, but the home team replied with three more tries in eight minutes as Morgan Parra, Vincent Debaty and Jacquet (again) went over.

The Basques did manage one more try of their own when American Takudzwa Ngwenya ran in for his eighth of the campaign six minutes from time, but attention had already turned to next weekend by then.

On Friday night league leaders Stade Toulousain pulled off an excellent 25-24 away win at Perpignan, although the hosts missed a last-minute penalty to claim victory for themselves. (read full match report)