Stade Français responds to Toulouse. Winners of Pau with bonus (23-12) for the 17th day of Top 14, the Parisians immediately took control of the championship from the Rouge et Noir, who beat Castres (33-6) earlier this Saturday. Stade Palois loses a place in the ranking and finds itself 6th.
However, apart from the breakthrough of their third line Sekou Macalou, author of the first try of the game after getting rid of four Pau defenders (26th), the Pink Soldiers have long suffered the domination of the visitors.
Despite the rain, the Béarnais increased their attacks but did not manage to defeat the best defense in the Top 14, being only rewarded with three penalties and a small point lead at the break.
Dominant in the scrum in the first period, the Parisians increased their physical influence to take the advantage after returning from the locker room.
On two carried balls, hooker Lucas Peyresblanques (45th) and third row Romain Briatte (63rd) finished in the Pau goal, before Sekou Macalou (80th) completed the Parisian victory.
On the next day, Stade Français will aim for six out of six in these doubles matches away to La Rochelle, while the Palois will try to recover against Bayonne.
In the match of fear between the last two in the ranking, Montpellier obtained a precious success with a view to maintaining, in Oyonnax (39-35), at the Charles-Mathon stadium on Saturday, on behalf of the 17th day of Top 14.
Thirteenth in the standings before kick-off, with seven points ahead of their host, bottom red, the Héraultais won their fifth victory in the last six days.
With 33 points, they move up to twelfth place.
For their part, beaten for the sixth consecutive time, the Oyonnaxiens (23 points) seem to be heading straight towards the Pro D2.
Still looking for a victory in 2024, they are now eight points behind thirteenth-placed Perpignan.
The Montpellier side got their hands on the match in the first half hour, thanks to flanker Lenni Nouchi.
The captain of the French U20 team, 2023 world champions, scored a hat-trick in sixteen minutes (16th, 28th, 32nd).
At the break, the break was made (25-16).
Jostled by the locals at the start of the second period, the visitors thought they could knock out the match with two new tries from the forwards, by the South African flanker, Nico Van Resburg (32-23, 59th) and the Canadian second line, Tyler Duguid ( 39-23, 63rd).
After remaining in contact thanks to two tries from the winger, Enzo Reybier, and the flanker, Kevin Lebreton (23-25, 48th), the Oyonnaxiens believed in the feat after a double from the third center line, Loïc Godener ( 70th, 75th), but they started too far.
For its part, Toulon finally got its head out of the water by overcoming Perpignan (44-22). The RCT gained two places and found itself 5th. Perpignan falls into the relegation zone. Finally, Bayonne made short work of LOU (39-10) and took the offensive bonus. Rowing is back in the race for the final stages with a good 8th place. Lyon is 11th.
