Wrap: Top 14, Round 10

Editor

The big winners in Round 10 of France's Top 14 are Toulouse, who are now way out on top, Castres and Albi. The big losers are Perpignan, who are back in the danger zone, Bourgoin and Brive.

The big winners in Round 10 of France's Top 14 are Toulouse, who are now way out on top, Castres and Albi. The big losers are Perpignan, who are back in the danger zone, Bourgoin and Brive.

Biarritz, Castres and Clermont Auvergne won away, not big wins but valuable points, especially for Castres whose position continues to grow healthier.

There is still little between the second group of three in the top four as Biarritz, however unimpressive they may seem keep on winning and staying up there. Their defeat of Montpellier, who lost for the first time at home, is a blow to the ambitions of the Mediterranean side. But the second group of four is also locked in a tight contest and there are 16 rounds to go.

Albi's win over Bourgoin was huge Рin points but also in the relief it has brought the side. Auch remain in terrible trouble despite keeping Stade Fran̤ais try-less in Paris, and they already look doomed to drop to Pro D2. Dax, too, stay in trouble after the blow of a home defeat.

Perpignan had been looking on the way to improvement but suave Toulouse were far too classy for them. Brive, too, will be disappointed with their home defeat and stay in trouble at a time when they seemed on the way to improving.

Round 10 Results

Biarritz vs Montpellier, 18-14
Toulouse vs Perpignan, 41-15
Stade Français vs Auch, 15-12
Castres vs Dax, 17-8
Bayonne vs Montauban, 25-18
Albi vs Bourgoin, 33-8
Clermont Auvergne vs Brive, 11-8

Standings after Round 10 with match points and points' difference

1. Toulouse 43; +157
2. Stade Français 33; +101
3. Clermont 32; +46
4. Biarritz 31; +25
5. Bayonne 24; -16
6. Montauban 22; +1
7. Castres 22; -11
8. Montpellier 22; -17
9. Albi 21; -14
10. Perpignan 20; -37
11. Bourgoin 20; -47
12. Brive 18; -34
13. Dax 13; -55
14. Auch 8; -99

Match information

Biarritz vs Montpellier, 18-14

Montpellier dominated the first half but their Basque visitors got going in the second half and may have deserved this win at Stade Yves du Manoir.

Scorers:

For Biarritz:
Tries:
: Thiery, Bidabé
Con: Yachvili
Pens: Yachvili 2

For Montpellier
Try:
Gorgodze
Pens: Todeschini 3

Biarritz: 15 Nicolas Brusque, 14 Benjamin Thiery, 13 Andrea Masi, 12 Damien Traille, 11 Jimmy Marlu, 10 Marcelo Bosch, 9 Dimitri Yachvili, 8 Imanol Harinordoquy, 7 Trevor Hall, 6 Serge Betsen, 5 David Couzinet, 4 Jérôme Thion (captain), 3 Mosese Moala, 2 Benoît August, 1 Eduard Coetzee
Replacements: 16 Benjamin Noirot, 17 Hedley Wessels, 18 Manuel Carizza, 19 Steeve Malonga, 20 Julien Dupuy, 21 Julien Peyrelongue, 22 Philippe Bidabé

Montpellier: 15 Federico Todeschini, 14 Frikkie Welsh, 13 Rickus Lubbe, 12 Grant Rees, 11 Sébastien Kuzbik, 10 François Trinh-Duc, 9 Julien Tomas, 8 Louis Picamoles, 7 Johan Wasserman, 6 Fulgence Ouedraogo, 5 Drikus Hancke, 4 Michel Macurdy, 3 Philemon Toleafoa, 2 Olivier Diomandé, 1 Eugene van Staden.
Replacements: 16 Joan Caudullo, 17 Danie Thiart, 18 Mamuka Gorgodze, 19 Warren Britz, 20 Sébastien Buada, 21 Régis Lespinas, 22 Olivier Sarraméa

Referee: Romain Poite

Stade Français vs Auch, 15-12

A match without Tries: and a tough result for battling Auch who reserve some of their best efforts for top sides. The visitors to Stade Jean-Bouin achieved this despite bringing a young side with some of their Espoirs and despite incurring three yellow cards.

Scorers:

For Stade Français:
Pens:
Skrela 5

For Auch:
Pens:
Olivier 3
Drop: Olivier

Stade Français: 15 Ignacio Corleto, 14 Julien Saubade, 13 Guillaume Bousses, 12 Geoffroy Messina, 11 Christophe Dominici, 10 David Skrela, 9 Jérôme Fillol, 8 Pierre Rabadan, 7 Rémy Martin, 6 Antoine Burban, 5 Lua Lokotui, 4 Boela du Plooy, 3 Pedro Ledesma, 2 Mathieu Blin (captain), 1 Franck Montanella.
Replacements: 16 Damien Weber, 17 David Attoub, 18 Pascal Papé, 19 Simon Taylor, 20 Terry Bouhraoua, 21 Stéphane Glas , 22 Juan Martín Hernández

Auch: 15 Patrick Bosque, 14 Pierre Aguillon, 13 Thierry Brana, 12 Mehadji Tidjini, 11 Romain Edmond-Samuel, 10 Naas Olivier, 9 Vincent Clarac, 8 Karim Dhabi, 7 Antoine Battut, 6 Stéphan Saint-Lary, 5 Robins Tchale Watchou, 4 Hamid Arif, 3 Grégory Menkarska, 2 Sébastien Bruère, 1 Mamuka Magrakvelidze.
Replacements: 16 Nicolas Sentous, 17 Alexandre Barozzi, 18 Jérôme Cholley, 19 Nicolas Bontinck, 20 Opeti Fonua, 21 Brice Salobert, 22 Frédéric Couzier

Referee: Patrick Pechambert

Castres vs Dax, 17-8

Tough times for Dax after losing this one at Stade Maurice-Boyau and doing son sand bonus point.

At half-time the home side led 8-7.

Scorers:

For Dax:
Try:
Brugnaut
Pen: Hore

For Castres:
Tries:
: Faure, Lagardère
Cons: McIntyre, Lagardère
Pen: Lagardère

Dax: 15 Gavin Williams, 14 Grégory Tutard, 13 Duncan Bell, 12 Ludovic Courtade, 11 Paul Dabrin, 10 Charlie Hore, 9 Julien Lesgourgues, 8 Thomas Lièvremont, 7 Vincent Deniau, 6 Mathieu Lièvremont, 5 , 4 Anthony Mazel, 3 Renaud Boyoud, 2 William Bonnet, 1 Vincent Brugnaut.
Replacements: 16 Kas Lealamanua, 17 Yves Pedrosa, 18 Manuel Sierra, 19 Justin Purdie, 20 Nicolas Morlaes, 21 Sébastien Roqué, 22 Horacio Agulla

Castres: 15 Anthony Lagardère, 14 Laloala Milford, 13 Phil Christopher, 12 Steve Kefu, 11 Brad Fleming, 10 Cammie McIntyre, 9 Kevin Senio, 8 Florian Faure, 7 Losefa Tekori, 6 Leiataua Tomiki, 5 Lionel Nallet, 4 Colin Gaston, 3 Danie Saayman, 2 Akventsi Giorgadze, 1 Carl Hoeft (captain).
Replacements: 16 Mathieu Bonnello, 17 Kees Meeuws, 18 Gambo Adamou, 19 Tim Barker, 20 Rodrigo Capo Ortega, 21 Sébastien Tillous-Borde , 22 Lionel Mazars

Referee: Jean-Pierre Matheu

Toulouse vs Perpignan, 41-15

This is a massive defeat for Perpignan who were hoping they were on their way out of the doldrums.

Scorers:

For Toulouse:
Tries:
: Nyanga. Heymans 2, V. Clerc 2,
Cons: Du Toit 2
Pens: Du Toit 2, Courrent
Drop: Du Toit

For Perpignan:
Tries:
: Bozzi, Mas
Con: Laharrague
Pen: Porical

Toulouse:15 Cédric Heymans, 14 Vincent Clerc, 13 Clément Poitrenaud 12 Yannick Jauzion, 11 Maxime Médard, 10 Gaffie du Toit, 9 Byron Kelleher, 8 Shaun Sowerby, 7 Grégory Lamboley, 6 Yannick Nyanga, 5 Romain Millo-Chluski, 4 Fabien Pelous, 3 Daan Human, 2 William Servat, 1 Salvatore Perugini.
Replacements: 16 Alberto Vernet Basualdo, 17 Poux, 18 Thierry Dusautoir, 19 Jean Bouilhou, 20 Jean-Baptiste Elissalde, 21 Valentin Courrent, 22 Maxime Mermoz

Perpignan:15 Jérôme Porical, 14 Federico Martin-Aramburu, 13 David Marty, 12 Gavin Hume, 11 Julien Candelon, 10 Nicolas Laharrague, 9 Nicolas