Paris (AFP)

The LOU is not in the process of extinction. Lyon regained its splendor by paying Gerland the fit team of the moment on Saturday, Toulon (27-12), and took control of the Top 14 before the delicate trip from Bordeaux-Bègles to the defending champion, Toulouse, on Sunday (4:50 p.m.).

"Today, I found my team", blew Pierre Mignoni after three last worrying outings: a narrow success 13-12 at the Agen red lantern (after being led by 12 points at break) then two losses in the European Cup which "put more doubts than certainties", recognized the opener Jonathan Wisniewski.

This improved success, signed by their New Zealand rear Toby Arnold, involved in the three LOU trials, allows the Lyonnais to consolidate their lead over the RCT, relegated to 13 points and surpassed by La Rochelle and Racing.

Because in La Rochelle, the return of former Maritime coach Xavier Garbajosa did not smile on the Montpellier technician, whose troops were beaten 35-30.

A hat-trick from Arthur Retière, aligned with the wing and now top scorer in the Top 14 with 7 tries, condemned the MHR, which was nevertheless off to a good start by scoring the first points (8th, 6-0), the first try (19th , 11-3) and who could even have returned at the end of the match.

Relieved from the European Cup, the Stade Rochelais, which has become a regular in the final phase, is well placed in the race for the top 6 (3rd, 37 pts).

Like Racing 92 (4th, 37 pts), which crushed Castres 27-0 pocketing the offensive bonus in passing. The Parisians were already leading 22-0 at the break, before the exclusion of the hooker of OC Marc-Antoine Rallier on the return from the locker room (49th) which annihilated all hope of the Tarnais.

Mauricio Reggiardo's team, convinced before the match to be "still in the game to finish in the six", will now have to watch its rear (12th, 23 pts) with only three steps ahead of the Stade Français which moves to Clermont at 8:45 p.m.

In the decisive duel between Brive and Pau, the Corréziens overturned the Section dramatically. Led by 13 points an hour, the CAB snatched the victory (33-26) thanks to a test of its rear Thomas Laranjeira after the siren and offers a mattress of 6 units on Pau (10th, 23 pts ) with 29 points.

Results of the 14th day of the Top 14:

Saturday

Lyon (bo) - Toulon 27 - 12

Brive - Pau 33 - 26

Castres - Racing 92 (bo) 0 - 27

La Rochelle - Montpellier (bd) 35 - 30

(8:45 p.m.) Clermont - Stade Français

Sunday

(12:30 p.m.) Bayonne - Agen

(4:50 p.m.) Toulouse - Bordeaux-Bègles

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