La Rochelle (AFP)

The shock at the top of the Top 14 has kept all its promises and smiles in La Rochelle, winner of Clermont (19-10) on Sunday evening and new leader at the end of the 8th day.

Intense, virile, hooked ... All that was missing was the audience at the Marcel-Deflandre stadium to make this showdown between the two fittest teams of the fall even more exciting.

If in the end the best defense had the skin of the best attack, it was played out little by little, despite the nine point difference.

The excess of indiscipline of the Auvergne, who had yet started the match well, was fatal in the middle of the first period to the teammates of Camille Lopez generous, supportive and who did not lack character on this hostile ground.

Jules Plisson, after an initial failure, sanctioned them and widened a gap (12-3, 32nd) which proved to be decisive.

At the defensive level, the meeting was also played eye to eye, the defenses regularly taking precedence over the attacks, releasing nothing or very little.

An inspiration at the winning foot of the maritime striker to his rear Brice Dulin launched in a corner led to believe in a flight from La Rochelle (19-3, 37th).

But as against Bordeaux-Bègles or Pau, the Rochelais lowered their foot after the break.

On resumption, Clermont, who had seen Jacobus Von Tonder's try refused for a touchdown, was finally rewarded for his efforts thanks to Tim Nanai-William, author of a slalom between 6 Rochelais concluded between the poles ( 19-10).

The first try conceded this season at home by the men of Jono Gibbes, less well returned from the locker room, like Plisson countered twice at the foot.

From an accounting point of view, this will be the last evolution in the score.

The harshness in the combat zones, the roughness in the duels did not allow the intentions, many and shared, to go to the end.

© 2020 AFP