Toulouse corrects Clermont thanks to a new try by Ange Capuozzo
Castres takes his revenge
Beaten in the final of the Top 14 three months ago, Castres took his revenge on Saturday during the 6th day of the Top 14 by winning against Montpellier (26-13). After a one-sided start to the match, two tries were scored in twenty minutes, thanks in particular to the “special” of its French international pillar Wilfrid Hounkpatin, in force five meters from the line (17-3, 21st).
In numerical superiority after the yellow card of Gela Aprasidze (13th), the CO then cruelly lacked efficiency, missed several opportunities to worsen the score.
If the MHR tried to call back thanks to their experienced Cobus Reinach before the break, it was not enough and the Argentine opener Benjamin Urdapilleta (16 points at 100%) distinguished himself by passing three penalties in the second half.
With this victory, the CO took the opportunity to extend their invincibility at home, which has now increased to 24 matches and which has lasted since a setback against Brive in December 2020. Castres thus goes back to 5th place in the championship. Bad operation on the other hand for Montpellier which chained a second consecutive defeat, after its defeat against Toulouse last Sunday.
Bayonne offers La Rochelle
After Racing 92 and UBB, the promoted Bayonne offered another big Top 14, La Rochelle (29-13). At the end of a collective mastery with a hair-raising half-time return with two tries killing all suspense, Rowing was a great face to the unrecognizable European champion.
The Basques especially soared to the score thanks to the magic feet of Camille Lopez to serve Germain cleverly (42nd) then to put pressure on Teddy Thomas, sanctioned by a try from Guillaume Martocq.
Racing 92 gets out of the Pau trap
A try from the Englishman Christian Wade and grabbing the points from Finn Russell allowed Racing 92 to regain the taste of victory ahead of Pau (26-13) on Saturday. But the Ile-de-France will have things to straighten out to face the UBB next week, like Russelle who has long stumbled on the Béarnaise defense. The Scottish striker also had a strange match, taking too long to type his defeat (19th) before being countered on a clearance (26th).
He then managed four penalties (12th, 32, 52nd, 62nd) and two conversions (65th, 73rd). Enough to bring down the Section, reduced to fourteen after the yellow card of Clément Laporte (49th), for the sixth consecutive time.
In the standings, Pau, beaten for the third consecutive time, slips to 14th and last place while Racing finds itself provisionally in 8th place in the standings, one point behind Clermont.
Toulon disgusts Brive
La Rade was treated to a festival of tests from Toulon against Brive (47-0), seven in all. The first came from his South African world champion Cheslin Kolbe, before a double from Nayacalevu Waisea and a last from his veteran, the Italian Sergio Parisse.
Thanks to this victory, Toulon (17 pts) wears the dolphin cap of the Toulouse Stadium, which the Corréziens (10th, 11 pts) will lift next weekend.
Finally, at Jean-Bouin, the Stade Français (5th, 14 pts) responded in the most beautiful way to the rumors giving Gonzalo Quesada replaced by a duo Karim Ghezal / Laurent Labit, signing eight tries against Usap (52- 3).
Clermont’s disappointment
Despite rotations and absences, Toulouse made short work of Clermont (46-10), yet one of the teams in form at the moment. The great craftsman of this demonstration? Thomas Ramos. The versatile three-quarter, starter at the opening, guided the Rouge et Noir to a full score, six tries including one from the Isérois ANge Capuozzo in the 76th minute.
Ramos, he split two tries, five conversions and two penalties (26 points in total) to allow the championship leader, who now has … six points ahead of the RCT, to consolidate his place on the throne of the Top 14. With this third success in a row, the break is already made at the top of the championship. ASM proved too clumsy to worry about Toulouse.