Montpellier caused the upset of the second weekend by beating defending Top 14 champions Perpignan.
Montpellier upset Perpignan
Montpellier caused the upset of the weekend by beating defending Top 14 champions Perpignan while Toulouse gave Brive a lesson in attacking rugby.
In contrast to last week, it was a good weekend for home clubs as not a single travelling team could pick up a win.
With an all-international starting XV and four tries from their backs, Toulouse showed everyone why they have been the benchmark in France for years with a 38-0 drubbing of the leaders after round one, Brive.
Like Toulouse, Clermont and Biarritz were in good form as all three clubs scored bonus-point wins, while Toulon won the "Battle of the Cheque Books" at home to Racing Metro.
Clermont 37-6 Montauban
After an impressive performance last week, there were more ominous signs for the rest of the championship as Clermont racked up a bonus-point win. Anthony Floch contributed two tries and the home side never looked troubled.
Clermont took no prisoners and made their dominance count early on. A try from Floch, a drop from Morgan Parra and a couple of penalties from Brock James saw the hosts lead 16-0 after just 20 minutes.
Julien Audy kicked two penalties for Montauban to reduce the gap but when Floch chipped ahead for his captain Aurelien Rougerie to score, the writing was on the wall as Clermont led 23-6 at half time.
South African Brent Russell scored from 50m out soon after the break before visiting full-back Julien Laharrague struck back with half-an hour to play.
Floch got a his second try with full-time looming bagging a bonus point for Clermont in process.
Toulouse 38-0 Brive
Toulouse simply took Brive apart with a display that will lay any doubts lingering after the opening weekend to rest. Toulouse take Brive's place at the top of the standing as a result.
Guy Novés lined up a team overflowing with class and international caps. The host's clinical finishing and creative attacking was exactly what was missing last season.
With Jean-Baptise Elissalde at fly-half, the Toulouse backs were simply unstoppable.
Toulouse wasted no time in getting down to business as Elissalde slotted a drop after just four minutes, Maxime Medard and Yann David countered from the restart and Cedric Heymans finished off to give then hosts a 10-0 before Brive could say Big-Red-Machine.
The hosts continued to turn the screw as Elissalde added another drop and two penalties while his opposite number Luciano Orquera couldn't find the target. The teams swapped ends with Toulouse 19-0 up and Brive in all sorts of trouble.
David was at the origin of yet another break, this time Medard was on hand to touch down. Byron Kelleher broke around the base of a scrum to set up a third try as Vincent Clerc dived over in the corner.
Replacement fly-half Florian Fritz provided a kick-pass for fellow sub Remi Lamerat, who scored number four in the dying minutes.
Montpellier 18-12 Perpignan
In baking heat, both teams made their intentions to run the ball very clear. But for all their initiative, neither side could cross the whitewash.
A monumental defensive effort from the home side set up the biggest upset of the season so far as the defending champions will have to settle for a losing bonus point from their first road trip.
Montpellier fly-half Benoit Paillaugue kicked all of his side's points, including a neat drop to give the hosts a 12-6 lead at half time.
Paillaugue extended the lead soon after the break, but Perpignan fly-half Nicolas Laharrague added two penalties to David Mélé's two in the first half to close the gap to three points with fifteen minutes to play.
Paillaugue slotted another penalty with ten minutes left on the clock to set up a grandstand finish. The Catalan visitors launched an all-out attack in the closing stages but could never break through the blue-clad wall.
Perpignan full-back Phillip Burger was clearly unimpressed with the referee and let him know all about it after the final whistle, resulting in a red card.
Biarritz 39-6 Albi
Five tries- including two from Iain Balshaw - and a bonus point were just what Biarritz needed to forget last week's false-start against Castres. Against an Albi side that tried to play far too much attacking rugby, the
Biarrots reassured the Aguiléra fans that they will be a force this year.
Biarritz struck inside of ten minutes with an attack started by Damien Traille and finished by Balshaw, who scored his first points in the red and white jersey.
Blair Stewart briefly gave Albi the lead thanks to two penalties but a second try from Balshaw and two penalties from
BO stalwart Julien Peyrelongue put the hosts 18-6 ahead at the break.
Biarritz full-back Paul Couet-Lannes' try further opened the gap in the second half before the local scrum was awarded a penalty try.
Couet-Lannes completed the rout with his second try in the final minute.
Toulon 27-13 Racing Metro
Toulon deserved their win against their former ProD2 rivals and confirmed their status as challengers for a spot in Europe. Jonny Wilkinson was at the forefront again with strong performance in front of the Mayol faithful.
Toulon hit the ground running as Jamie Robertson scored after just two minutes, finishing off a move started by returning skipper Joe van Niekerk.
Wilkinson and his opposite number Jonathan Wisniewski exchanged a couple of penalties before the Toulon fly-half's kick-pass was grounded by van Niekerk on the stroke of half time at give the hosts an 18-6 lead.
Wilkinson kicked another two penalties in the second half before being replaced by Sebastien Fauqué, who sealed the game with a three-pointer of his own. Toulon scrum-half Matt Henjack was show a yellow card for fighting.
Castres 29-9 Bourgoin
Two from two from Castres, who followed up their super show in Biarritz with a dominant display at home to Bourgoin.
In a match played mostly amongst the forwards, Castres lead from start to finish.
Home sharpshooter Cameron McIntyre keep Castres out of reach with four first-half penalties to which Samoan Josefa Tekori added try on the brink of half-time to hand the hosts a 16-3 lead at the break.
McIntyre was on target twice again in the second period as was Bourgoin replacement fly-half Sebastien Laloo, who added to Benjamin Boyet's earlier effort from the tee.
With the win secured, Castres went in search of the two extra tries needed for a bonus point. Rodrigo Capo-Ortega rounded off the forwards' hard work for the first, but the second wasn't to come.
