Clermont – Toulon : 27-30
Always beaten at the Marcel Michelin stadium since 2016, Toulon managed to overthrow ASM in Auvergne after a match full of twists and turns. It was Clermont who seemed to have started the best, thanks to a solo try from Peceli Yato (6th, 7-0). But the impression was misleading because the Varois controlled the ball and ended up taking the advantage thanks to a try from Jules Coulon (26th, 7-10).
It was the start of a back and forth battle almost until the final whistle, fueled by Fainga’a and Tixeront on the yellow side, by the boot of Lolesio and the decisive entry of Serin on the red and black side. In the 55th minute, Toulon seemed to have made a gap thanks to Coulon’s second goal (55th, 23-14). Then ASM thought they had done the hard part by getting back in front thanks to Tixeront’s try and a goal from Urdapilleta (72nd, 27-23). But the RCT still had resources, to score the winning try by Wainiqolo, superbly served at the foot by Serin (78th, 30-27). The last stand of the Clermontois, who shelled the Var line up to the 86th, achieved nothing.
Bayonne – Pau: 35-16
For the first time since 2005, Aviron Bayonnais defeated Pau (35-16). Trailing by six points after eight minutes of play, the Basques then imposed their law thanks in particular to the clear domination of their pack in a boiling Jean-Dauger stadium. Grégory Patat’s players were even rewarded with an offensive bonus after the four tries of Lucas Paulos, Pierre Huguet, Federico Mori and Guillaume Rouet, while Camille Lopez completed the work on the foot, also with a final penalty of more than 50 meters from Gela Aprasidze in stoppage time.
For the Section Paloise, which remained on five consecutive victories, it is obviously a setback. She had not lost since the first day, and a trip to Castres (24-23), on August 19. For the Béarnais club, the other bad news comes from Clément Laporte. The usual full-back, placed in fifteen for this meeting, was injured at the start of the match. A suspicion of Achilles tendon fracture is raised.
Oyonnax – Lyon: 38-20
Lyon will still have to wait to win for the first time at Charles-Mathon. The fault lies in a completely failed first period. From the start of the game, Oyonnax settled into the Lyon camp. There was more desire, more aggressiveness in the promoted player who tormented his opponent on each of his recoveries. Unable to get their hands on the ball, forced to make mistakes, the Lyonnais quickly succumbed to Oyomen’s attacks playing fair and fast.
At the break, Oyonnax had already scored three tries (a double from Millet and a try from Raynaud) without ever having trembled as Joe El Abd’s players played to their hand. Led 30-3, the LOU reacted to the restart with two tries in quick succession from Taufua and Niniashvili and although it dominated the Oyomen who had stopped playing, the lead in the score was too great for the LOU to be able to prevent a third defeat in a row.
Perpignan – Montpellier: 23-16
Perpignan leaves the red lantern in Montpellier after its victory against the MHR in Aimé-Giral. A success snatched ten minutes from the end thanks to a try by Alistair Crossdale on a crossbar at the foot of Jake McIntyre, transformed into a corner by Tommaso Allan (23-16, 73rd). The match was undecided for a long time, first to the advantage of Montpellier who, after a try scored by Arthur Vincent (4th), managed to score through Julien Tisseron (3-10, 17th).
Then the Héraultais made a series of mistakes, took two yellow cards (Stooke, 35th and Latu, 40th), and the USAP went in front before half-time with a penalty try (16-10). The visitors came back to 16-16 thanks to two penalties from Paolo Garbisi (42nd and 47th). Clinging and messy in the second period, the game finally swung in favor of Perpignan, which therefore moved to thirteenth place while Montpellier, which has a sixth consecutive defeat, is now last.
