The UBB, hung to the end by a valiant red lantern, suffered to take revenge on Biarritz (30-27), where it was surprised in the first match of the season (27-15).

The Girondin leader let slip in the last minutes the offensive bonus which seemed to reach out to him after the decisive entries of his international captains Maxime Lucu, Matthieu Jalibert and Cameron Woki.

He is still now five lengths ahead in the standings over his runner-up, Toulouse, beaten by a hair the day before in Clermont (16-13).

Entering the field at the hour mark, the experienced Camille Lopez tilted this showdown in favor of the Auvergnats by passing a decisive drop and penalty.

A second consecutive setback for Toulouse in the league which could have benefited Montpellier (third) if its match against Toulon had not been postponed due to a large number of Covid-19 contaminations in the Var ranks.

In response to the Boxing Day fiasco (four matches postponed out of seven), the National Rugby League (LNR) had nevertheless adopted in the week a new health protocol allowing to play when a team has 23 players, including at least fifteen professionals and six first lines.

Show and suspense in Castres

Past so far between the drops of postponements, Castres won a shock from the top of the table spectacular against La Rochelle (31-30) and took the opportunity to seize the fourth place of his opponent, within reach of Toulouse and Montpellier, but with one more match.

Castres Thomas Staniforth (front) Levan Chilachava explode with joy after the victory over the CO wire at home against La Rochelle, January 2, 2022 Valentine CHAPUIS AFP

A miraculous success for the people of Tarn, who suffered from maritime lightning before revolting.

Led 24-3, they have managed to preserve their invincibility at home, where they have not lost since December 2020, thanks to their strength of character and the clumsiness of La Rochelle striker Ihaia West, guilty of two failures against the poles in the last moments.

In the other half of the ranking, the confrontation between Pau and Brive, two candidates for maintenance, largely turned to the advantage of the Béarnais (43-20), who had however been affected by the Covid-19 the previous week.

Under a great winter sun, the Pau Section, even if it could have hoped for an offensive bonus, carried out a good accounting operation against a direct opponent increasingly threatened by the red zone (12th) after a good start to the season.

Fijian center Jale Vatubua flattens out for Pau's 4th and last try against Brive in Pau, January 2, 2022 GAIZKA IROZ AFP

The French Stadium moved away from it on Saturday by overcoming the promoted Perpignan (27-17) thanks in particular to a new double from its Fijian center Waisea Nayacalevu.

After three weeks without playing and several Covid-19 contaminations at the origin of the postponement to the last minute of the "Clasico" against Toulouse, the Parisian coach Gonzalo Quesada said he was "admiring the ability of the players to respond to all these difficulties ".

© 2022 AFP