Toulouse (AFP)
Castres, winner on the wire in Clermont, achieved Saturday the big blow of the second day of the Top 14, of which he takes the controls in front of Montpellier, at the party in front of his public, like Perpignan, Pau and Bordeaux-Bègles.
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Castres goes on and leads Clermont
Building on the momentum of his end of last season, which had seen him fail by a hair at the gates of the finals, the CO followed in Clermont (34-30) a second success in two matches.
Thanks to a test three minutes from the end, the Tarn club, already victorious over Pau (16-12) last week, temporarily takes the lead in the standings while waiting for Racing 92-La Rochelle in the evening and Toulouse-Toulon Sunday.
Successor of Franck Azéma on the Clermont bench, Jono Gibbes missed his reunion with the Marcel-Michelin stadium, a once impregnable enclosure that fell this time at the first opportunity.
Clermont New Zealand coach Jono Gibbes before the Top 14 home match against Castres, September 11, 2021 THIERRY ZOCCOLAN AFP
Already twice beaten, the Auvergnats must face La Rochelle and Toulouse during the next two days.
Not ideal for reassurance.
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In Perpignan the duel of the graduates
The match between promoted turned to the advantage of Perpignan, victorious over Biarritz (33-20) in front of his hot crowd of Aimé-Giral, thanks in particular to a double from his winger Jean-Bernard Pujol, co-top scorer of Pro D2 testing last season.
Perpignan winger Jean-Bernard Pujol tries to break through the Biarritz defense, during their Top 14 match, September 11, 2021 at the Aimé-Giral Stadium Pascal GUYOT AFP
Heavily beaten by Brive (36-15) during the 1st day, the Catalans showed a better face with their young back Melvyn Jaminet, revelation of the recent tour of the XV of France in Australia, who was making his first steps in the Top 14.
Handsome winner of Bordeaux-Bègles (27-15) last week for his return to the elite, seven years after having left it, the BO "could not remain indefinitely on (his) little cloud", relativized the Basque rear Romain Lonca.
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The Montpellier seduction operation
The GGL Stadium in Montpellier was full for the victorious reception of Brive (39-17).
And for good reason: the public has been graciously invited, just to make them want to come back after months of closed doors.
The players of Philippe Saint-André have in any case done what was necessary with five registered attempts, including two from their new hooker Jérémie Maurouard and one, against, from the international center Arthur Vincent, tenured on the wing for his return to business.
The Montpellier hooker Jérémiah Maurouard scores the 2nd home try against Brive, September 11, 2021, during the 2nd day of Top 14 Pascal GUYOT AFP
After the draw on the gong in Toulon (24-24), the MHR seems on course to do better than its failed first half of the season last year.
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UBB catching up
Falling in Biarritz without a fight on the first day, Bordeaux-Bègles corrected the shooting at home with an improved success against the French Stadium (37-10).
The three-quarter center of Bordeaux-Bègles, Yoram Moefana, goes to score a try against the Stade Français, during their Top 14 match, on September 11, 2021 at the Stade Chaban-Delmas Philippe LOPEZ AFP
The match, long punctuated by blunders, switched to a numerical superiority well negotiated by the Girondins, then authors of two trials in quick succession, as at the end of the match to get the bonus.
Thanks to a clear round at the foot of his neo-international Antoine Hastoy, author of all the points for his team, Pau also signed against Lyon (21-17) his first success of the season after having nevertheless evolved to 14 for nearly of one hour.
© 2021 AFP