Top 14: Champions Toulon prevail; Brive stun Toulouse; Clermont defy Racing Metro

Reigning champions Toulon, Brive, Clermont, Lyon, Grenoble and Stade Francais were all winners in Round 4 of the Top 14 on Saturday.

Toulon 18-13 Bordeaux Begles

Defending champions Toulon remain a third - a point behind Montpellier and Clermont - after an 18-13 win over Brdeaux Begles at Stade Mayol on Saturday evening.

Despite losing on the night, Bordeaux earned plenty of credit as they claimed an away bonus point in the south of France, a feat not achieved by many against the French and European heavyweights.

France fly-half Frederic Michalak kicked all 18 points from the tee as Toulon laboured their way to victory against a spirited Bordeaux side.

Centre Julien Rey scored the game's only try in a losing cause and for all their positive work up front, Bordeaux forwards coach Joe Worsley will be left to lament yellow cards for Clement Maynadier and Patrick Toetu which opened the door for Michalak to kick Toulon home.

Brive 26-19 Toulouse

Former Fiji Sevens star Benito Masilevu dealt the telling blow with a sublime piece of skill to help Brive escape with a shock 26-19 victory over Toulouse.

Masilevu left the visitors stunned with seven minutes to play after they had fought back from a 10-point deficit to draw level and Gaetan Germain's conversion gave Brive a seven-point advantage they would not relinquish. 

Despite Toulouse making the better start it was Brive who took the lead as Arnaud Mignardi marched over the whitewash before fly-halves Germain and Toby Flood traded penalties.

Former England No 10 Flood spent 10 minutes in the sin bin for a dangerous tackle before Edwin Maka's stunning score restore parity for Toulouse, only for Brive to snatch victory from the claws of defeat late on.

Clermont 32-6 Racing Metro

Aurelien Rougerie raced in two tries as Clermont returned to winning ways with an emphatic 32-6 victory over Racing Metro at the Marcel Michelin.

After losing two of their last three games on home soil, after more than four years unbeaten at their infamous fortress, Clermont came into the game under significant pressure.

Their response was resounding however, with Rougerie bagging a brace of tries while Davit Zirakashvili and Alexandre Lapandry also graced the scoresheet. 

There was little reason for optimism for Racing, whose only points came via the boot of Johan Goosen, as they slipped to a second defeat in four as their campaign continues to stutter.

Lyon 26-23 Oyonnax

Late tries from Toby Arnold and Deon Fourie helped Lyon edge out Oyonnax 26-23 for a second win in as many weeks.

The promoted side had beaten Brive last time out, but they looked in trouble at half-time in this one, trailing 13-6 after half an hour when Damian Browne powered over.

Lachie Munro kept Lyon in touch with four penalties, reducing the deficit to a point with three minutes gone in the second half before Benjamin Urdapilleta extended it back to four points.

Just after the hour Munro set up Arnold for the home side's first try and with Oyannax reduced to 14 men - Olivier Missoup the man sent to the sin bin - Lyon took full advantage as Fourie drove over and the hosts held out for the win despite a last-minute score from Regis Lespinas.

Grenoble 30-12 La Rochelle

Elsewhere, Grenoble cruised to a second straight win as they had far too much for La Rochelle at the Stade des Alpes, running out 30-12 winners in the end.

After a first win of the campaign last week against Bordeaux, Fabrice Landreau's men made a flying start against La Rochelle, with Charl McLeod going over after just two minutes.

With La Rochelle's struggles on the road in their first two games, it looked like being a long afternoon, but the promoted side battled gamely in the first half, trailing just 13-6 at the break, thanks to the boot of Julien Audy.

The scrum-half added another early in the second period, but Grenoble got the crucial next score thanks to their Fijian flyer Alipate Ratini and Jonathan Wisniewski's try seven minutes from time put a fine gloss on victory for the home side.

Stade Francais 34-29 Bayonne

Stade Francais ran in five tries as they got back to winning ways with a 34-29 success over Bayonne, but the Parisian side did have to overcome a second-half slump to hold out for victory.

The visitors trailed 17-10, but they fought back in the second half with three penalties from Blair Stewart to go back in front with 15 minutes remaining.

That stirred the home side into life, and they scored a great team try through Waisea Nayacelavu after a lovely miss-pass from Jules Plisson.

Julien Dupuy, who had impressed since coming on, added another try sneaking over from the back of a ruck before Bayonne responded with a second try from full-back Scott Spedding and Stewart added a late penalty to give Bayonne a bonus point at the death.