The key facts

  • Bordeaux Bègles beat Bayonne 19-14 and sit one point behind Toulouse (28 to 27)
  • Lyon scored eight tries in a 48-25 rout of Vannes and moved up to third place on 23 points
  • Clermont ended a run of three defeats by beating Racing 92 37-30

Bordeaux one step behind the leader

Union Bordeaux Bègles kept up the pressure on Top 14 leaders Toulouse by beating Bayonne 19-14 on Saturday, AFP reports. The match was played in front of almost 33,000 spectators. Bayonne paid the price for two yellow cards: the hosts scored tries through Mathis Perchaud and Hugo Reus. Guillaume Cramont and Alexandre Fischer replied for the visitors, but Bordeaux winger Hugo Avogadro crossed on the 78th minute to seal the win. After this round, Toulouse lead Bordeaux Bègles by one point, 28 to 27; the leaders will play away against Pau on Sunday.

The rest of the round

Lyon claimed a bonus point with eight tries in a 48-25 demolition of bottom side Vannes, moving up to third place on 23 points. Fijian winger Jiuta Wainiqolo once again made his mark. Italian hooker Giacomo Nicotera scored a hat-trick of tries as Stade Français beat La Rochelle 43-24, lifting Parisians to sixth place. Clermont ended a run of three league defeats by beating Racing 92 37-30 at home. After a third straight loss, Racing dropped to 13th place: the visitors' three tries came from Fijian wingers Celestine Ravutaumada and Wame Naituvi, as well as Romain Taofifenua, but a poor scrum and a subdued forward display prevented the Parisians from seizing the initiative. For Clermont, the TMO ruled out three tries, but the side still crossed four times — through Kilian Amdouni, Pita Gus Sowakula, Noé El Zaouani and Barnabé Massa — while New Zealand fly-half Harry Plummer collected 17 points, including a crucial penalty on the 72nd minute.