Champions Clermont end Montpellier run
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 08:09
Clermont try-scorer Julien Malzieu. (c) Getty
Champions Clermont rebounded from last Wednesday's defeat by Racing-Metro to beat in-form Montpellier 27-10 on Sunday in the French Top 14.
Montpellier had come into the match having beaten Racing-Metro, 2009 champions Perpignan away and then European champions Toulouse last Wednesday, but with a much changed starting line-up they failed to mount a real challenge in the second-half.
The two sides produced a fine spectacle in the first-half but the visitors' spirit appeared to be broken when they conceded 10 points in the final two minutes before the break when the sides were locked at 10-10.
Clermont's Australian kicker Brock James landed a penalty in the 38th minute and then virtually from the restart James engineered a move that saw France winger Julien Malzieu touch down.
James converted to make it 20-10 at half-time.
The tempo eased in the second-half and it was only on the buzzer that Clermont extended their lead when Canadian lock Jamie Cudmore went over and James converted.
Clermont coach Vern Cotter was pleased that his side had come back strongly from last Wednesday's defeat.
"I am happy with the win, though, I would have liked to have taken more than four points [they missed out on a bonus point]," he said. "We will just have to find them somewhere else."
Bayonne had to come from behind at Bourgoin to go top of the table with a 28-23 victory.
Second-half tries by Abdelatif Boutaty and Yoann Huget, both converted by Benjamin Boyet, edged them past Bourgoin.
"It is hugely satisfying for us this victory because it is never easy to come to Bourgoin and win," said Bayonne's joint coach Thomas Lievremont, brother of France coach Marc.
Brive secured only their second win this season and inflicted expensively-assembled Toulon's third of the campaign with a 27-9 victory.
Toulon had only themselves to blame as Australian centre Mafileo Kefu was red carded in the fourth minute for a high tackle on Brive fullback Alexis Palisson.
Palisson had the last laugh as he ran in the last of Brive's three second-half tries.
Stade Français could have gone top with a convincing victory at Biarritz but they slumped to a 19-11 defeat with the home side ending a run of three successive defeats.
Stade also lost international scrumhalf Julien Dupuy with an ankle injury in the first half.
Both sides scored a try apiece through Manuel Carizza for Biarritz and Mathieu Bastareaud for Stade, but the kicking of Dimitri Yachvilli proved crucial with a 14-point contribution.
Castres' Romain Teulet scored an astonishing 26 points in his side's 31-26 home win over Racing-Metro, who handed Argentinian superstar Juan-Martin Hernandez his first start of the season.
Hernandez made an instant impact landing nine points in the first-half though his side trailed 12-9 at the break.
The 28-year-old landed two penalties and a drop-goal while Teulet, the leading points-scorer in Top 14 last term, kicked all his side's points.
Hernandez was in sparkling form again in the second half, adding two more penalties - one from 45 metres - and a conversion of Benjamin Noriot's 64th minute try.
However, Teulet's unerring boot saw Castres move from 28-22 up to a more comfortable 31-22 lead with eight minutes remaining as they finally killed off the valiant visitors challenge.
Top 14 results:
Agen 23 Perpignan 23
Castres 31 Racing-Metro 25
Bourgoin 23 Bayonne 28
Toulouse 50 La Rochelle 3
Clermont 27 Montpellier 10
Brive 27 Toulon 9
Biarritz 19 Stade Français 11
AFP
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