Top 14: Round 11 Wrap

Editor 25 Feb 2008 11:08 AM

There weren't any upsets in Round 11 and Toulouse continue to impress. The top three clubs -Toulouse, Stade FranÃ§ais and Clermont – all scored big bonus-point wins. Biarritz lost to a rejuvenated Bourgoin on Sunday and are now falling behind.

Bayonne are doing well and are the pick of the rest. Perpignan had another disappointing weekend, but still managed to win.

Results:

Friday 22 February
Castres 16 – 47 Stade FranÃ§ais

Saturday 23 February
Bayonne 31 – 13 Albi
Clermont 40 – 13 Montauban
Montpellier 18 – 13 Dax
Perpignan 28 – 23 Auch
Toulouse 51 – 3 Brive

Sunday 24 February
Bourgoin – Biarritz

Table with match points and point difference.

1 Toulouse 48;+205
2 Stade FranÃ§ais 38 ;+132
3 Clermont 37; +73
4 Biarritz 31; +5
5 Bayonne 28 ;+2
6 Montpellier 26 ; -12
7 Bourgoin 24 ;-27
8 Perpignan 24;-32
9 Montauban 22; -26
10 Castres 22;-42
11 Albi 21;-32
12 Brive 18;-82
13 Dax 14 ;-60
14 Auch 9;-104

Friday 22 February

Castres – Stade FranÃ§ais : 16-47
Castres came into the match full of hope while Stade arrived from the capital under a shadow of doubt. 80 minutes later the roles were reversed as the Parisians walked away with a bonus point after a crushing victory.

The home side had been showing signs of good form over the past few weeks, but that form abandoned them on Friday night.

Stade scored three tries in the first half without doing anything exceptional. Rather the team from the Tarn region made too many mistakes, and the visitors simply punished them.

Alain Gaillard's men rallied together to produce a five-pointer with a quarter of an hour to go only to see the pink-clad Stade players immediately return the favour. It was Castres' worst ever defeat at the hands of Stade FranÃ§ais.

Although easy winners, Stade would have been a little disappointed with they way they played, especially up front. Their title campaign is, however, back on track.

Comfortably in second place, the fancy-boys form the capital would have gained loads of confidence from their win. They'll need it, they face nearly all the top clubs over the next few weeks.

Scorers:

For Stade FranÃ§ais
Tries: Saubade, Dominici, Burban 2, Bousses, Messina
Cons: Hernandez 4
Pens: Hernandez 3

Yellow Cards: Martin, Burban

For Castres
Try: Saayman
Con: LagardÃ¨re
Pens: LagardÃ¨re 3

Saturday 23 February

Toulouse – Brive : 51-3
Ooh la la ! Toulouse just keep steam-rolling on. Wait, replace that steam roller with a freight train. Toulouse haven't been beaten at home by a French side since November 2006 and doesn't seem like there is a side in the hexagon capable of troubling them.

All Blacks scrum-half Byron Kelleher led the former European champs in yet another massacre with a brilliant performance as the home side scored seven tries and a bonus point (which they've scored in every home game this season.)

Brive arrived in la Ville Rose with a young side who would have left feeling a lot older. Now 12th on the table the Brivistes will have to pull their socks up if they are to avoid relegation.

b>Scorers:

For Toulouse
Tries: Medard 3, Kunavore, Montes, Kelleher, Maka
Cons: Kunavore, Courrent 4
Pens: Kunavore , Courrent

For Brive
Pen: Dambielle

Yellow Card: Liebenberg

Clermont – Montauban : 40-13
Clermont were bullied in the first half and were looking in trouble. Only Brock James' three penalties and a drop kept them in the game and they lead 12-10 at the break.

However, they came out of the change rooms at half time a different team and turned the tables on Montauban.

The home side welcomed back Elvis Vermeulen and John Smit back from injury and maintained their unbeaten home record.

Montauban are still yet to win in 2008. They were very impressive in the first half but couldn't maintain the physical dominance they had in the first half and faded to concede a bonus point.

b>Scorers:

For Clermont
Tries: BaÃ¯, Delasau 2, Zirakashvili
Con: James 4,
Pens: James 3
Drop: James

For Montauban
Try: R.Smith
Con: Fortassin
Pens: Fortassin 2

Bayonne – Albi : 31-13
A great kicking performance from Richard Dourthe helped Bayonne to a relatively easy home him to Albi who are now falling a little behind in the middle-of-the-table battle.

b>Scorers:

For Bayonne
Try Elhorga
Con: Dourthe
Pens: Dourthe 6, Larrechea 1
Yellow Card: Linde (Bayonne)

For Albi
Try: Gady
Con: Maillard
Pens: Maillard 2

Yellow Cards : Guicherd ,Delpuech

Montpellier – Dax : 18-13
Montpellier really struggled against newly promoted Dax and had to pull out all the stops to sneak a close-fought victory. The team from Herault is still in the chase for a European spot. Just.

b>Scorers:

For Montpellier
Tries: Todeschini 2
Con: Todeschini
Pens: McHugh, Todeschini

For Dax
Try: Lievremont
Con: Hore
Pens: Hore 2

Perpignan – Auch : 28-23
Auch are still last, but they are going to fight to the end. That fighting spirit earned them a defensive bonus point away to Perpignan who have gone off the boil a bit in the last few weeks.

The Catalans have serious European ambitions, and they'll need to improve if they're to fulfil them.

b>Scorers:

For Perpignan
Tries Porcu, Tincu, Hume
Cons: Rosalen 2
Pens: Porical 3

For Auch
Tries: Brana , Barcella
Con: Couzier 2
Pens: Couzier 3

Sunday 24 February

Bourgoin 35 – 15 Biarritz
Starting the game teetering on the relegation zone, Bourgoin needed this result. After a few difficult weeks they seem to have finally produced a performance in line with their budget. Biarritz will be disappointed however as Bayonne are now within striking distance of the fourth spot that Biarritz have held for so long.

Biarritz sorely missed Dimitri Yachvili and Damien Traille who were on Six Nations duty. Bourgoin were without their young scrum-half Morgan Parra.

Bourgoin made an excellent start and were 7-0 up after just 2 minutes. Benjamin Boyet scored a great try five minutes later which was shortly followed by a drop from SÃ©bastien Laloo. 15-0 after seven minutes, the home side never looked back.

Zimbabwean born American winger Takudzwa Ngwenya scored three tries for the visitors but his team had just made too many errors in those first 15 minutes and Bourgoin had a spring in their step.

Four tries to three in Bourgoin's

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