Top 14: Toulouse stun leaders Stade
Francais with bravura performance

25 October 2008

Toulouse pulled off a shock 26-13 win against previously unbeaten leaders Stade Francais as the visitors stunned a sell-out 80,000 crowd at the Stade de France.

The defending champions found their finest form of the season, with Clement Poitrenaud and Yannick Jauzion grabbing first-half tries as Ewen McKenzie’s men were humbled on home turf.

A David Skrela drop-goal and Jean-Baptiste Ellisalde penalty gave Toulouse the perfect start, but Stade bounced back with a try of their own when Julien Arias went over in the 14th minute, despite being down a man after Bergamasco was yellow carded.

But that merely spurred La Ville Rose into action with Poitrenaud and Jauzion both going over in a 10-minute purple patch that brought 14 points and a 20-7 advantage.

Lionel Beauxis, at fault for Toulouse’s opening try, kicked a couple of penalties to leave the game finely balanced 13-20 at half time, but Toulouse held firm after the interval to register the win.

Ellisalde stretched their advantage with two more successful penalties as Stade Francais failed to score a point in the second half, losing their first game of the season in the process after nine consecutive wins.

Montauban also overcame the formbook as they won 30-25 away to Clermont to avenge last week’s Heineken Cup defeat.

It was their first away win of the season as they ran in four tries to secured the bonus point in front of on-looking new president Raymond Barriere.

Fijian wing Vilimoni Delasau and Romanian prop Bogdan Balan added to first half-tries from Yohann Audrina and captain Marc Raynaud – against his former team - as Montauban put their financial worries aside for a remarkable victory.

Clermont’s defeat was their first at home this season as they paid for squandering numerous scoring opportunities. Julien Malzieu did touch down early in the second half to give them a brief lead, but apart from that they relied on the boot of South African Brock James (20 points).

Biarritz also banished their away-day blues with a 33-6 win at bottom club Mont-de-Marsan, with returning scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili shining on his comeback after a lengthy injury lay-off.

The diminutive playmaker set up two of his side’s three tries in addition to kicking four penalties and a brace of conversions as Biarritz won on the road for the first time in eight months.

Yachvili could even afford the luxury of missing three first-half penalties as Biarritz punished Les Montois for another error-strewn performance that underlined why they are rooted to the foot of the table.

Their misery was completed by the 70th-minute dismissal of replacement hooker Trevor Leota, just seven minutes after entering the fray, and the home side look destined for a swift return to ProD2 after registering just one win and five tries in their opening eight games.

Biarritz, meanwhile, climbed from seventh to fifth, thanks to their bonus-point win, which also featured scores for American winger Takudzwa Ngwenya, centre Damien Traille and a late penalty-try.

Perpignan maintained their good form with a workmanlike 17-6 home win against Dax. Number eight Damien Chouly scored the game’s only try early in the second half as the Catalans recorded their sixth win of the campaign.

Bayonne also made it six wins from eight as they overcame Brive 14-9 at the Stade Jean Dauger with hooker Arnaud Heguy scoring the game’s decisive try. Brive’s former Leicester fly-half Andy Goode missed three penalties and a drop-goal, while fellow England international Ben Cohen was yellow-carded seven minutes from time.

In the afternoon’s other match Montpellier’s indifferent season continued as they went down 12-19 at home to lowly Bourgoin. Benjamin Boyet’s three first-half penalties and a drop goal gave the visitors a 12-6 interval lead, and they secured the win – only their second of the season – when South African Rudi Coetzee scored the game’s only try in the 53rd minute.

Meanwhile, Toulon’s worrying slide continued in Saturday’s evening game as they went down 17-21 at home to fellow strugglers Castres.

Sebastien Fauque had a fine game for the home side, scoring all 17 of their points, including the game’s only try in the 43rd minute, but Castres, who had only won once in seven previous outings, rallied in the last 10 minutes to take the win.

First Cameron McIntyre scored a 70th-minute drop goal to add to his first-half effort, then full-back Romain Teulet kicked his fourth successful penalty three minutes from time.

Castres remain 12th despite the win, but have now closed the gap on Dax and Toulon to just two points as the battle for Top 14 survival hots up.
 

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