Top 14 wrap: Grenoble win again

On a roll: Grenoble

Grenoble claimed yet another big scalp in the Top 14 on Saturday and maintained their unbeaten home record with victory over Castres.

That result all but assures Grenoble of a place in the top flight next year. In fact, a play-off berth is on the cards.

Elsewhere, both Stade Français and Perpignan needed big performances from their goal kickers to get the better of Bayonne and Bordeaux-Begles respectively.

In the late game, Toulouse were made to work very hard to claim a narrow win over lowly Mont-de-Marsan.

Results:
Biarritz 16-11 Agen - Match report here
Clermont 36-18 Montpellier - Match report here
Stade Français 21-13 Bayonne
Perpignan 26-16 Bordeaux-Begles
Grenoble 14-12 Castres
Mont-de-Marsan 12-16 Toulouse

Sunday:
Toulon v Racing Metro

Stade Français 21-13 Bayonne
Stade Charlety

Stade Français were unable to cross the whitewash but put in a workman-like performance to bounce back from a heavy defeat last week with full-back Jerome Porical kicking all the Parisians' points.

Stade Français led 15-10 at half time as Porical punished Bayonne's errors after number eight scored to give the visitors an early lead.

The second half was continued in the same vein, with Porical finishing with seven penalties from eight attempts.

The scorers:

For Stade Français :
Pens: Porical 7

For Bayonne:
Try: Haare
Con: Potgieter
Pens: Potgieter, Boyet
Yellow cards: Boutaty

Stade Français: 15 Jerome Porical, 14 Paul Sackey, 13 Paul Williams, 12 Morgan Turinui, 11 Jeremy Sinzelle, 10 Paul Warwick, 9 Julien Dupuy, 8 Sergio Parisse, 7 David Lyons, 6 Olivier Missoup, 5 Pascal Pape, 4 Scott Lavalla, 3 David Attoub, 2 Remi Bonfils, 1 Aled De malmanche.
Replacements: 16 Laurent Sempere, 17 Rabah Slimani, 18 Alexandre Flanquart, 19 Pierre Rabadan, 20 Jerome Fillol, 21 Nicolas Bezy, 22 Francis Fainifo 23 Stanley Wright

Bayonne: 15 Scott Spedding, 14 Sam Gerber, 13 Joe Rokocoko, 12 Manu Ahotaeiloa, 11 Marvin O'Connor, 10 Jacques Louis Potgeiter, 9 Mike Phillips, 8 Dwayne Haare, 7 Julien Puricelli, 6 Mark Chisholm, 5 Abdellatif Boutaty, 4 Dewald Senekal, 3 Nemiah Tialata, 2 David Roumieu, 1 Aretz Iguiniz,
Replacements: 16 Gregory Arganese, 17 Pierre Lafond, 18 Marc Baget, 19 Jean joseph Marmouyet, 20 Guillaume Rouet, 21 Benjamin Boyet, 22 Thibault Lacroix, 23 Renaud Boyoud.

Perpignan 26-16 Bordeaux-Begles
Stade Aimé Giral

Perpignan were forced to pull this one out of the fire after trailing by a point with nine minutes left on the clock.

The scores were locked at 9-all at half time but UBB went 16-15 ahead thanks to a brilliant 90m try from full-back Metuisela Talebula.

But the Catalans would have the lost laugh as David Mélé kicked the hosts back in front before Gavin Hume's last-minute try denied Bordeaux a deserved bonus point, meaning they drop into the relegation zone.

The scorers:

For Perpignan:
Try: Hume
Pens: Mélé 7

For Bordeaux-Begles:
Try:Talebula
Con: Lopez
Pens: Sanchez 3
Yellow cards: Avei

Perpignan: 15 Richard Haughton, 14 Farid Sid, 13 David Marty, 12 Lifeimi Mafi, 11 Adrien Plante, 10 Gavin Hume, 9 David Mele, 8 Luke Narraway, 7 Bertrand Guiry, 6 Alasdair Strokosch, 5 Bobins Tchale watchou, 4 Romain Taofifenua, 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 Romain Terrain, 1 Sebastien Taofifenua.
Replacements: 16 Maxime Delonca, 17 Kisi Pulu, 18 Sebastien Vahaamahina, 19 Daniel Leo, 20 Florian Cazenave, 21 Gilles Bosch, 22 Joffrey Michel, 23 Jeremy Castex.

Bordeaux: 15 Metuisela Talebulamaijaina, 14 Felix Le bourhis, 13 Julien Rey, 12 Andrew Mailei, 11 Rafael Carballo, 10 Nicolas Sanchez, 9 Heini Adams, 8 Justin Purll, 7 Hugh Chalmers, 6 Louis benoit Madaule, 5 Adam Jaulhac, 4 Cameron Treloar, 3 Silviu Florea, 2 Wayne Avei, 1 Laurent Delboulbes,
Replacements: 16 Hikairo Forbes, 17 Jefferson Poirot, 18 Francois Tisseau, 19 Gautier Gibouin, 20 Baptiste Serin, 21 Camille Lopez, 22 Blair Connor, 23 Tamato Leupolu,

Grenoble 14-12 Castres
Stade Lesdiguières

Another huge win for Grenoble, who are yet to lose at home this season as they rack up their third consecutive win and charge into the top six!

Grenoble led 11-5 at half time thanks to a 5th-minute try by wing Lucas Dupont, who collected scrum-half Jonathan Pelissie kick in-goal to open the scoring.

Castres scored two tries of their own but were always chasing the game after Grenoble fly-half Blair Stewart's neat drop early in the second period gave the hosts a healthy lead.

CO pushed hard in the dying minutes but Grenoble showed real courage to hold on for a deserved win.

The scorers:

For Grenoble:
Try: Dupont
Pens: Stewart, Pelissie
Drop: Stewart
Yellow card: Bancroft

For Castres:
Tries: Andreu, Lacrampe
Con: Kirkpatrick

Grenoble: 15 Fabien Gengenbacher, 14 Lucas Dupont, 13 Aaron Bancroft, 12 Nigel Hunt, 11 Viliame Waqaseduadua, 10 Blair Stewart, 9 Jonathan Pelissie, 8 Florian Faure, 7 Fabien Alexandre, 6 Jonathan Best, 5 Naude Beukes, 4 Benjamin Hand, 3 Dayna Edwards, 2 Laurent Bouchet, 1 Kenan Mutapcic.
Replacements: 16 Romain David, 17 Vincent Campo castillo, 18 Andrew Farley, 19 Henry Vanderglas, 20 Roland Bernard, 21 Rudolf Coetzee, 22 Gregory Fabro, 23 Feliuaki Taukeiaho.

Castres: 15 Brice Dulin, 14 Romain Martial, 13 Seremaia Bai, 12 Remi Lamerat, 11 Marc Andreu, 10 Pierre Bernard, 9 Thierry Lacrampe, 8 Antonie Claassen, 7 Yannick Caballero, 6 Piula Faasalele, 5 Iosefa Tekori, 4 Christophe Samson, 3 Anton Peikrishvili, 2 Mathieu Bonello, 1 Mihaita Lazar,
Replacements: 16 Marc antoine Rallier, 17 Michael Coetzee, 18 Matthias Rolland, 19 Jan de bruin Bornman, 20 Thomas Sanchou, 21 Daniel Kirkpatrick, 22 Marcel Garvey, 23 Karena Wihongi.

Mont-de-Marsan 12-16 Toulouse
Stade Guy Boniface

A very disappointing performance from Toulouse, who never looked in total control, although slippery conditions did not help.

For Mont-de-Marsan, another loss at home moves relegation ever closer, but a losing bonus point against the giants of French rugby is just reward for their efforts.

Toulouse forwards coach/hooker William Servat was at the back of a maul that rumbled over the line to give the visitors an early lead.

Toulouse were 10-6 up at half time and were unable to extend their lead in the second period as a tenacious Montois side fed of their numerous errors.

The scorers:

For Mont-de-Marsan:
Pens: Duvallet 2, Claverie 2

For Toulouse:
Try: Servat
Con: McAlister
Pens: McAlister 2, Beauxis

Mont-de-Marsan: 15 Thibault Duvallet, 14 Jean marc Mazzonetto, 13 Jean baptiste Dubie, 12 Baptiste Chedal, 11 Julien Cabannes, 10 Bernard Arrayet, 9 Arnaud Pic, 8 Haisini Taulanga, 7 Philipus Liebenberg, 6 Julien Tastet, 5 Berend Botha, 4 Wame Lewaravu, 3 Sebastien Ormaechea, 2 Ephraim Taukafa, 1 Julian Fiorini.
Replacements: 16 Joan Caudullo, 17 Alexandre Menini, 18 Sebastian De chaves, 19 Yann Brethous, 20 Jean baptiste Claverie, 21 Martin Jagr, 22 Yohann Durquet 23 Mathieu Giudicelli

Toulouse: 15 Clement Poitrenaud, 14 Maxime Medard, 13 Yann David, 12 Gael Fickou, 11 Yoann Huget, 10 Luke McAlister, 9 Jean marc Doussain, 8 Edwin Maka, 7 Yannick Nyanga, 6 Louis Picamoles, 5 Yoann Maestri, 4 Gregory Lamboley, 3 Census Johnston, 2 William Servat, 1 Gurthro Steenkamp,
Replacements: 16 Gary Botha, 17 Vasil Kakovin, 18 Romain Millo Chlusky, 19 Jean Bouilhou, 20 Sebastien Bezy, 21 Yannick Jauzion, 22 Lionel Beauxis, 23 Antoine Guillamon.