The Top 14 always reserves its share of surprises. This Saturday for the 23rd day, Aviron Bayonnais scored its first away success this season by beating Racing 92 (38-37) in Auxerre thanks in particular to a magnificent try. At the same time, Montpellier, penultimate, sinks after a one-point setback in Castres (27-26). The MHR is now seven points behind Lyon, 12th and first non-relegation.
In the other matches, Pau largely beat Oyonnax (39-17), dead last and for whom the maintenance mission promises to be increasingly difficult. Finally, Toulon struggled but beat Lyon (30-24), which allowed Pierre Mignoni’s men to move up to provisional 3rd place in the standings.
Under the eyes of Guy Roux, the emblematic former coach of AJ Auxerre, who will return to Ligue 1 next season, Racing 92 (5th, 57 pts), forced to relocate this meeting to Burgundy due to the series of concerts by the American singer Taylor Swift in her Arena in Nanterre, fell against Bayonne (37-28).
Outnumbered from the 16th minute following the red card of their second row Fabien Sanconnie, the Ile-de-France club suffered the Basque attacks, in a match with eight tries, including two doubles.
The protégés of Grégory Patat, for whom this is the first away victory of the season, can once again thank their scorer Camille Lopez (17 points) while the Racingmen complicated their task before going to Lyon on Saturday next.
Toulon (3rd, 59 points), thanks to its victory over Lyon (30-24) won in fine style at Mayol, temporarily climbs onto the podium, while awaiting the result of the evening match between Bordeaux-Bègles (4th) and La Rochelle (6th).
The Varois, led by a brilliant Baptiste Serin, author of two assists with his feet, carried out the good operation of the day, before moving to the field of the red lantern Oyonnax next weekend.
Lyon (12th, 47 pts) chose to leave Baptiste Couilloud, best director of the Top 14, on the bench at kickoff. Entering the hour mark, the international scrum-half scored his 14th try of the season at the end of the match, too late to prevent LOU from leaving the harbor with serious regrets.
In the other matches of the afternoon, Pau (7th, 55 pts) logically played against the red lantern Oyonnax (39-17) in a Hameau stadium with a scorching atmosphere, while Castres (8th , 54 pts), who lost his captain Mathieu Babillot to injury at the very end of the match, narrowly defeated Montpellier (27-26), which is in penultimate place in the championship with 40 units. In the evening (9:05 p.m.), UBB hosts La Rochelle at the Chaban-Delmas stadium for the 100th anniversary of the legendary Bordeaux venue. Another gala poster will close the 23rd day Sunday evening at Ernest-Wallon, where Stade français (1st, 67 pts) travels to its runner-up Toulouse (2nd, 65 points)
