Biarritz and Castres keep the pressure on
Biarritz and Castres were the big winners of Round 23 of the Top 14 on Saturday, beating Montpellier and Dax respectively to cement their places in next season's Heineken Cup.
Biarritz and Castres were the big winners of Round 23 of the Top 14 on Saturday, beating Montpellier and Dax respectively to cement their places in next season's Heineken Cup.
Biarritz's win, 20-0 at the Parc des Sports Aguilera, all but sends Montpellier out of Heineken Cup qualification too, and the Heraults may now face a battle to keep onto their clutch of rising stars as a result.
Full-back Benjamin Thiery and wing Takudzwa Ngwenya scored the tries for the Biarrots, while scrum-halves Julien Dupuy and Dimitri Yachvili weighed in with two conversions and two penalties betwen them.
Castres once again built up a big score in their 38-16 win. They scored five tries to Dax's one, starting with a try in the first minute from centre Lionel Mazars.
Samoan back-row Iosefa Tekori scored the second in the thirteenth minute, and Lionel Nallet's effort just after half-time set the seal on the win.
There was a consolation try for Argentinian full-back Horacio Agulla for Dax, but Cameron McIntyre and Laurent Marticorena scored late tries to put the game out of reach for the Tarnats.
The big shock of the day was in Auch, where the home side, already relegated put Stade Français to the sword 9-6.
Frederic Couzier was the hero for the home team, landing two second-half penalties to bring his side back from 6-3 down at half-time for a famous victory in front of 5,000 baying fans.
Montauban, in seventh spot and in the final Heineken Cup qualifying spot, now have daylight between themselves and Bourgoin, Bayonne, and Montpellier after a 15-12 win over Bayonne.
Full-back Fabien Fortassin won the kicking duel with Bayonne's Richard Dourthe by 5-4 to seal the win, in what was an awful match.
Bourgoin kept their slim Heineken Cup qualification hopes alive by beating beleagured Auch 18-13, with Benjamin Boyet kicking six penalties, on another day in which the Top 14 flattered to deceive in terms of quality.
Perpignan host Toulouse next week Tuesday in the round's other match, where a win for the Catalans will see them with one foot in the door of the semi-finals.
Round 23 results:
Friday:
Clermont 38-7 Brive
Saturday:
Castres 38-16 Dax
Biarritz 20-0 Montpellier
Montauban 15-12 Bayonne
Auch 9-6 Stade Français
Bourgoin 18-13 Albi
Standings:
1 – Clermont 90
2 – Toulouse 81
3 РStade Fran̤ais 70
4 – Perpignan 62
5 – Castres 61
6 – Biarritz 59
7 – Montauban 54
8 – Bourgoin 48
9 – Bayonne 48
10 – Montpellier 48
11 – Albi 42
12 – Brive 41
13 – Dax 34
14 – Auch 19