Paris (AFP)

And two for Biarritz!

After Bordeaux-Bègles at the opening of the championship, the promoted offered himself another cador, Racing 92, on Saturday during the third day of the Top 14 marked by a snatch success from the champion Toulouse, the only team with three victories.

Outgoing semi-finalist, Racing 92 fell on a bone and, above all, an iron defense at the Aguiléra stadium (28-19) where the UBB had already broken its teeth two weeks ago (27-15) .

Basque generosity was only rewarded by a single try in the first period, on a ball carried by the young hooker Lucas Peyresblanques, applauded by the public when he went out on a stretcher, a few minutes later, after being injured on a opposing clearing.

But the English opener of the BO, Brett Herron, was able to make the mistakes of Ile-de-France fruitful.

He only missed one kick, the first, before putting together eight and piling up 23 points in total.

For their part, the Racingmen scored three tries but accumulated too many mistakes to avoid a first defeat.

Even the defensive bonus escaped them, a surprise after two very convincing performances against Stade Français (36-21) and La Rochelle (23-10), defending vice-champion.

Biarrot Brett Herron, author of 23 points in Biarritz's Top 14 victory against Racing 92 (28-19) on Saturday September 18 in Biarritz GAIZKA IROZ AFP

"Being wrong about the state of mind, that should not happen when we play Racing (...) It's a big questioning, it puts us back on the ground", reacted the center and captain des Ciel et Blanc, Gaël Fickou, bitter.

- Toulouse finished at thirteen -

On the Toulouse side, it is always the joy, despite a great fear in Montpellier (17-15).

Jostled as rarely, the double reigning French champions came out of it narrowly, playing the last five minutes at thirteen against fifteen.

After the yellow card inflicted on right pillar Paulo Tafili, Toulouse no longer had a right-hander to push in the scrum and had to send a player out.

The kick of Toulousain Thomas Ramos during the Top 14 meeting between Montpellier and Toulouse (15-17) on Saturday September 18 in Montpellier Sylvain THOMAS AFP

The Rouge et Noir got off to a good start with a lightning try from opener Romain Ntamack after just 42 seconds.

Another try early in the second half by center Lucas Tauzin, after a final pass from Ntamack, brought Toulouse closer to victory.

The Hérault residents then rebelled and scored their two tries (Doan, Rattez) in the last quarter of an hour.

The Italian opener Paolo Garbisi, for his debut in the Top 14, weighed late in the game, finding in particular Rattez at the foot, on the second try, but he missed the transformation that would have allowed his family to pick up.

Philippe Saint-André's men continued to fight but Toulouse had the last word.

With this third victory, after those against La Rochelle and Toulon, the Stadistes consolidate their first place.

- Violent tackle from Pieterse -

UBB has missed the boat in Castres.

The Girondins did not know how to take advantage of the exclusion, a quarter of an hour from the end, of Castres Ryno Pieterse, author of a tackle of rare violence on Maxime Lucu.

Santiago Arata, author of Castres' second try during the draw against Bordeaux-Bègles (23-23) on Saturday, September 18 in Castres as part of the 3rd day of Top 14 Fred SCHEIBER AFP

The Bordeaux scrum-half had just hit a candle and was no longer on his feet when the South African second line threw himself on him, shoulder forward.

The opener Matthieu Jalibert had the opportunity to give his team six steps ahead.

But his penalty was missed.

His Castres vis-à-vis, the Argentinian Urdapilleta, did not tremble (23-23).

The CO sign a tenth game without defeat in the Top 14.

"For me, it's two points won, even though we had the game in hand in the second period and we could have done better. But hey, we fell into a kind of trap, we knew it ... ", noted Christophe Urios, the Bordeaux coach and former Castres coach.

A week after the setback to Pau, Lyon corrected the promoted Perpignan (47-3) with the bonus to the key, by scoring seven tries.

Brive won in front of Pau (30-13) with, again, a good performance from its opener Enzo Hervé, author of 15 points including a test.

Clermont receives La Rochelle in the evening.

© 2021 AFP