Top 14: Round 26 round-up
Saturday 7 May 2011 23:23, UK
Montpellier booked their place in the Top 14 play-offs at the expense of Toulon on Saturday thanks to a 27-3 home win.
Toulouse finish top of the table after beating Clermont
Montpellier booked their place in the Top 14 play-offs at the expense of Toulon on Saturday thanks to an impressive 27-3 home win. The result means Montpellier will visit Castres, who won in Perpignan, in the play-offs. It's the first time that Montpol have made the knock-out stages. Toulouse finish the regular season at the top of the standings and qualify directly for the semi-finals thanks to victory at home to defending champions Clermont. Biarritz had to fight very hard but got the job done in Bourgoin, setting up a play-off in Clermont. Racing Métro are also into the semi-finals after winning the Paris derby against Stade Français. Results: Montpellier 27-3 ToulonToulouse 15-6 Clermont
Stade Francais 16-29 Racing Metro 92
Perpignan 10-29 Castres
La Rochelle 17-30 Bayonne
Bourgoin 18-22 Biarritz
Agen 36-10 Brive
Qualified for the semi-finals:
Toulouse and Racing Metro Play-offs
Castres v Montpellier
Clermont v Biarritz
Montpellier HR 27-3 RC Toulon
Stade Yves Du Manoir, Montpellier Montpellier found their feet again and did so in emphatic fashion as they led from start to finish, ending Toulon's season in the process. The hosts got off to a cracking start when Argentine wing Martin Moyano beat Rory Lamont to score in the corner after just five minutes before adding the conversion from the touchline. Jonny Wilkinson pulled three points back for the visitors but Moyano split the uprights just before the break to leave the scoreline 10-3 at half-time. Wilkinson was off-colour and after failing with a drop goal attempt in the 45th minute, he was relpaced by veteran Pumas playmaker fly-half Felipe Contepomi. Controversial Welsh centre Gavin Henson was also sent on. Montpellier moved clear in the second half when Francois Trinh-Duc intercepted Contepomi on his own 22 before offloading to Fijian wing Timoci Nagusa, who used his pace to race clear and score. Trinh-Duc then deservedly got a try of his own as Contepomi was again at fault, being dispossessed in midfield and allowing the ball to run loose. Trinh-Duc kicked ahead and had the speed to get to the line first. Moyano converted to spark wild celebrations with coach Fabien Galthie doing a lap of honour to thank the fans.
Stade Toulousain 15-6 ASM Clermont Auvergne
Stadium de Toulouse It wasn't the game perhaps hoped for but Toulouse did enough to ensure they maintain their perfect home record and finish the regular season in first place. Toulouse led 7-3 at the end of low-quality first half that featured a yellow card for Yannick Jauzion, whose late tackle on Aurelien Rougerie saw the Clermont skipper limp off with what looked like serious ankle injury. Clermont scrum-half Morgan Parra opened the scoring with a penalty but the championship's top try-scorer, Toulouse wing Maxime Medard, was first to cross the whitewash on the half-hour mark. Toulouse extended their lead in the second half when wing Rupeni Caucaunibuca bumped Benoit Baby out the way to score in the corner.
Stade Francais Paris 16-29 Racing-Metro 92
Stade Charlety, Paris Racing secured direct qualification to the semi-finals with a blistering opening quarter that set up an easy win. The visitors raced to a 17-3 lead within fifteen minutes after wing Sireli Bobo and centres Frans Steyn and Henry Chavancy all touched down. Racing full-back Dan Scarbrough saw yellow for a high tackle on Lionel Beauxis and the hosts used their numerical advantage to get scrum-half Julien Dupuy over the line to leave the scores at 20-10 at half-time. Stade Francais had a better second half but Racing fly-half Jonathan Wisniewski kept the scoreboard ticking with two penalties to seal Racing's claim as the top club in Paris.
USA Perpignan 10-29 Castres Olympique
Stade Aime Giral, Perpignan Jacques Brunel's tenure at Perpignan came to a sad end as his team were outplayed by the super-efficient Castrais. Castres will now put their unbeaten record at home to the test against Montpellier in the play-offs. Visiting wing Marc Andreu scored twice as Castres took a 17-5 lead at half time. Jerome Porical's try was the only reply from the disappointing Catalans. Lock Iosefa Tekori muscled his way over after the break extended Castres' lead but the hosts hit back when their pack rumbled home, with hooker Charles Geli touching down. But the visitors had the last laugh when Romain Teulet scored a late try to round off a counter attack started on the Castres 22.
CS Bourgoin-Jallieu 18-22 Biarritz Olympique
Stade Pierre Rajon, Bourgoin No-one expected Bourgoin to win but they came mighty close and actually outscored their much-fancied visitors two tries to one. Biarritz struggled to a 9-6 lead at half-time thanks to the boot of Dimitri Yachvili and looked to have the game wrapped up when Imanol Harinordoquy broke clear to put Magnus Lund in for a try in the 50th minute. The hosts fought back through late tries from Connie Basson and Thomas Genevois but couldn't crack the Basque defence in the final ten minutes. Biarritz must now travel to Clermont for a heavyweight play-off.
Stade Rochelais Atlantique 17-30 Aviron Bayonnais
Stade Marcel Deflandre, La Rochelle Bayonne finish the season one point short of the play-off zone after giving it all in a game that featured no less than five yellow cards. France winger Yohann Huget scored tries either side of half-time, with former Stormers full-back Joe Pietersen adding one to give the Basques a 20-11 lead at the interval. Manoel Dall'Igna scored for La Rochelle at the end of the first half. La Rochelle drop to the ProD2 while Bayonne have already started recruiting a side capable of getting them into the Heineken Cup.
SU Agen 36-10 CA Brive Correze
Stade Armandie, Agen A bonus point for Agen mean they finish the season above Stade Francais in tenth place. Agen were cruising with a 17-3 lead at half-time. Three tries in 15 minutes from full-back Sylver Tian, centre Junior Pelesasa and Tongan number eight Ueleni Fono put Agen in pole position. Saimone Vaka added number four while fly-half Conrad Barnard knocked over two conversions. Tian added his second on the hour mark before winger Brice Dulin scored Agen's sixth with 10 minutes left. Ronnie Cook scored a late consolation try for Brive.
