The Section Paloise claimed a 43-40 victory against Rugby Club Vannes at Stade de la Rabine on Saturday during the fifth round of the Top 14 season, surviving a late second-half surge that saw the hosts erase a massive early deficit. With the win, Pau temporarily climbed to the top of the league table with 18 points, while Vannes remained at the foot of the standings after suffering their fifth defeat of the campaign, according to match reports.
Pau Survives Vannes Comeback at Stade de la Rabine
Pau established a commanding 40-14 lead by halftime, crossing the try line six times in the opening 39 minutes. The surge included a 100-meter try scored by Desperes following a counter-attack originating from their own try area by Théo Attissogbe. However, Jean-Noël Spitzer’s Vannes side mounted a fierce response after the break, outscoring the visitors 26-3 in the second half. The Breton club had a final opportunity to win the match with an attacking lineout at the 80th minute, positioned 30 meters from Pau’s try line, but the visiting pack successfully stole the ball to preserve the result. Sébastien Piqueronies’ team secured points to leapfrog Toulouse and hold the provisional league lead ahead of the evening fixtures.
Racing 92 Secures First Home Win Against Perpignan at Créteil
Racing 92 recorded a convincing 55-25 victory over US Perpignan in Créteil, claiming their first home win of the season. Patrice Collazo’s squad scored eight tries in total, highlighted by a double from scrum-half Antoine Gibert and backed by a 100% Fijian three-quarter line. The club had previously struggled on the Créteil turf, suffering a 48-31 defeat to Lyon and a 20-17 loss to Bayonne earlier in the campaign. The win lifted Racing 92 to 10 points in the standings, while Perpignan remained near the bottom with 9 points.
Bayonne Edges Stade Français in a Five-Try Thriller
Aviron Bayonnais fended off a strong second-half challenge from Stade Français to win 35-32, denying the visitors a victory. Stade Français scored five tries to Bayonne’s four, but fell just short in a tight finish. The Parisian side salvaged a defensive bonus point—their first of the season—in the 80th minute when refereeing intervention yielded a penalty try. The result leaves Stade Français with 10 points in the table, while Bayonne consolidated their position near the top of the division with 17 points.
La Rochelle Overcomes Clermont After a Tight First Half
Stade Rochelais secured a 38-13 victory over ASM Clermont Auvergne, pulling away after a competitive opening forty minutes. Clermont led 13-12 at halftime, but the Maritime club took control after the interval. The turning point arrived in the 57th minute when Loaloa received a yellow card, allowing La Rochelle to capitalize and score two quick tries against the visitors’ defense. The victory lifts La Rochelle to 13 points, placing them sixth in the league standings.
Top 14 Standings Snapshot After Saturday Afternoon Matches
- 1. Section Paloise: 18 points
- 2. Aviron Bayonnais: 17 points
- 3. Stade Toulousain: 15 points
- 4. Union Bordeaux Bègles: 15 points
- 5. LOU Rugby: 14 points
- 6. Stade Rochelais: 13 points
Union Bordeaux Bègles continued their strong try-scoring form earlier in the afternoon by defeating LOU Rugby 51-28, led by a double from Cameron Woki and Tom Willis’s fifth try of the season. Lyon suffered their second defeat following a 31-10 loss to Stade Français, dropping to fifth in the standings.
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