Timely bonus for Perpignan
A bonus-point 30-13 win over Bayonne, their third in a row, saw Perpignan go level on points with Top 14 leaders Castres.
Last Updated: 05/02/10 11:57pm
A bonus-point 30-13 win over Bayonne, their third in a row, saw Perpignan go second in the Top 14 table and level on points with leaders Castres.
Christophe Manas was Perpignan's hero, switching with man of the match Adrien Plante - who had intercepted a Manny Edmonds pass - and racing home for the crucial try.
Just after half-time, Jerome Porical's try - a magnificent effort sparked by scrum-half Nicolas Durand and involving four pairs of hands down the right - had put Perpignan 20-6 ahead.
Bayonne fought - literally in a couple of cases - to get their way back into things, with hooker Arnaud Heguy being driven over the line just after the hour mark, leaving Perpignan chasing another try.
Chase it they did in the final twenty, with yellow cards shown to both flanker Jean-Pierre Perez for a professional foul and to prop Benoit Bourrust for an ill-timed release of frustration on Rodney Blake, whose retaliation also earned him ten minutes' cooling off time.
Bayonne continued to chase a score that would give them a vital bonus point as they aim to stave off the threat of relegation.
But ultimately, Manas' effort has left Bayonne teetering at the bottom of the table.
