Lyon (AFP)

Insatiable. Lyon consolidated its position at the top of the Top 14 by inflicting a severe correction to the Brive red lantern (59-3), at the end of the match of the extremes for the fourth day, by registering nine tests including the first Mathieu Bastareaud.

This is the second victory of the LOU over the four wins this season but, in addition to his fire attack, the Rhone team, also relies on an iron defense that has not conceded the slightest attempt since the beginning of the championship.

No club had achieved this performance since the creation of the Top 14.

Lyon are guaranteed to retain the first place at the end of the day ahead of Bordeaux who should, to become leader, win with the offensive bonus against the Stade Français and a minimum difference of eighty-six points.

Beyond having played three times out of four at home (six on the first nine days), Lyon also benefits from a staff only private Fiji winger, Joshua Tuisova, retained for the World Cup with his selection, as the French pillar Demba Bamba, while other teams among the tenors of the championship are more disabled by the absence of their international as Clermont or Toulouse.

"The players put things in order.They showed maturity.There was waste but it is satisfactory overall.There was no relaxation after the victory in Toulon, and that pleases me, "said Lyon coach Pierre Mignoni.

"I wanted the players to show that they are more mature than last year, but we only won four games, and there are still twenty-two left before, I hope," he added. .

- Tripe for Arnold, first for Bastareaud -

Against Brivists who had turned after the great success against Clermont (28-21), September 8, the LOU has never doubted. Febrile conquest with two lost keys and two penalties conceded in the first half hour, the Lyon quickly compensated with their speed of execution. Superior in all areas, the leader wandered.

The New Zealand back, Toby Arnold, knocked out the Brivists by signing a hat-trick in the space of twenty minutes (15th, 30th, 35th). As winger Xavier Mignot also flattened (25th), and Mathieu Bastareaud, who played center line third, scored his first try (39th), 31-3), the cause was heard from halftime.

Lyon added four more tries in the second half against resigned and powerless opponents.

"We were consistent in the performance, we managed to score on stocks worked during the week, and on paper it was not necessarily the hardest match, but we had to answer this. released the pressure throughout the game is something to salute, "said the third line Julien Puricelli.

© 2019 AFP