Lyon (AFP)

Unbeaten at kick-off, leader Toulouse bowed for the first time this season on Lyon (25-19), Sunday in the closing match of the 7th day of Top 14.

Thanks to this second success in a row, the Lyonnais (21 points), who return to victory at home after their defeat against Bordeaux-Bègles, regain third place in the championship two points from the UBB, second, and six points from Stade Toulouse, which retains the lead.

Well in place in defense, LOU Rugby muzzled his opponent, unable to obtain testing opportunities by his three-quarter line.

Patients in attack, the premises, who took the advantage at the end of the first quarter of an hour on a test of the third line Beka Saghinadze transformed by Léo Berdeu (7-3, 15th), ensured their success in the first ten minutes of the second period, attacked foot to the floor.

The international third row, Dylan Cretin, took advantage of a good fixation from the Fijian winger, Josh Tuisova, to flatten into a corner (15-9, 44th), then the scrum-half, Baptiste Couilloud, scored a third try. (22-12, 50th), to make the break.

After the hour of play, Lyon folded in front of the opposing assaults but managed to keep the advantage and win.

Deprived of space and testing opportunities, Toulouse relied first on the foot of the international back, Thomas Ramos (14 points) to sanction Lyon's faults and furnish the scoreboard.

In numerical superiority after the yellow card inflicted on the winger, Ethan Dumortier, for a voluntary forward (63rd), Stade Toulousain reduced the score on a strength test from hooker, Peato Mauvaka (19-25, 67th) to get the defensive bonus point.

The last assaults of the pack failed to get rid of the Lyon defense who delivered a big performance to keep their lead.

© 2021 AFP