Mediaboss Marketing

Just when you think the Top 14 table is taking shape, unexpected results arrive, throwing everything up in the air.

This week we saw plenty of drama - Bordeaux Begles fired their way into the top four with a pivotal win against Lyon on Sunday night, while Toulouse squandered their advantage at the top of the table with a loss to Stade Francais, meaning they now sit just a point above La Rochelle.

At the bottom of the table, Brive managed to collect their first win in months, and Castres continued their hot run of form to move clear of the relegation scrap into the mid-table mix.

Here are the top five talking points from another fascinating round of French club rugby.

Toulouse put their top spot in jeopardy after losing 19-10 to Stade Francais in Paris.

Head coach Ugo Mola picked a second-string starting XV for the fixture, deciding to rest key players ahead of his sides Champions Cup semi-final against Leinster next weekend.

The gamble did not pay off, as Toulouse lacked the usual ingenuity and power which audiences have become accustomed to seeing on a weekly basis.

Their only try of the game was scored by centre Pierre Fouyssac, with Melvyn Jaminet adding the extras. Soon after, the French fullback was ferried off the field after sustaining an ankle injury, meaning he is likely to miss next weeks knockout game.

With Toulouse lacking their usual firepower, Stade Francais capitalised, carried in large part by the boot of fly-half Joris Segonds, who converted four penalties in total.

The win cements Stades hold over the third spot and means they are all but set on qualifying for the postseason.

Meanwhile, La Rochelle continued their trailblazing run of form with a confident 26-13 win at home to Clermont, pushing them to within one point of Toulouse.

Brive picked up a crucial 22-17 win against relegation rivals Pau at the Stade Amde-Domenech, bringing to an end a torrid run of eight straight losses in all competitions.

Tries have been hard to come by for the men in black and white this season, and this weekend proved no different, with Motu Matu'u crossing the whitewash for their sole try of the afternoon.

It meant the struggling club had to rely upon the boot of Argentine fly-half Nicols Snchez, who kicked five penalties, ensuring victory fell in favour of the home side.

Despite the win, Brive remains firmly rooted to the bottom of the table, but there remains a slight glimmer of hope of an escape from the automatic relegation spot before the season ends.

For Pau, the loss puts them just three points clear of the relegation zone, with little time to turn things around.

Brive were not the only struggles to pick up a big win this weekend, as Perpignan beat Racing 30-21 in a full-blooded contest.

Two tries from Argentinian flanker Joaquin Oviedo and additional scores from replacement prop Sacha Lotrian and winger Ali Crossdale were enough to cement victory in a dramatic tie.

On the 22nd minute mark, Perpignan number eight Genesis Mamea-Lemalu and Racing second row Anton Bresler Racing both saw red, reducing the two sides to 14 men apiece.

The disruption clearly didn't stifle Perpignan as they cruised to an unexpected win, putting them just three points off Pau.

Meanwhile, Racing remains in seventh, equal on points with Lyon, who are a spot above them.

Castres catapulted up the Top 14 table following a stirring 31-18 win over play-off hopefuls Toulon at the Stade Pierre-Fabre.

The fourth straight win for last seasons finalists sees them move above Montpellier and Clermont to put them ninth overall, in with an outside shot of reaching the postseason.

This is remarkable, given only a few weeks ago, Castres were in the heat of a relegation battle, but now they seem to be enjoying their rugby and reaping the rewards for it.

Tries from Julien Dumora and the Fijian duo of Vilimoni Botitu and Josaia Raisuqe gave Castres the edge over Toulon, who failed to score a single try.

Instead, Toulon had to rely upon the boots of Dan Biggar and Thomas Salles to keep them in the game but in the end, this wasnt enough, and the loss sees them drop back to fifth in the table.

In the other Saturday fixture, Bayonne returned to winning ways with a tight 33-30 victory over Montpellier.

Bordeaux Begles edged into the top four with a commanding 23-9 win over playoff rivals Lyon.

At the break, Lyon held a narrow 6-3 lead, but Bordeaux fought back, first with some pinpoint kicking from Maxime Lucu.

Then in the last ten minutes of play, the hosts took charge with tries from Maxime Lamothe and Nicolas Depoortere - who started the game on the bench but came on within eight minutes to replace Jean-Baptiste Dubie.

The result sees Bordeaux overtake Lyon, who, after losing their last two matches, have slipped down to sixth.

Original post:
Five Talking Points From Round 23 Of The Top 14 - Top Spot Up For ... - FloRugby