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The top 14 swung into life again last weekend with 7 games, the highlight of which was surely the repeat of last year's final between Perpignan and Clermont on Saturday. There were wins for La Rochelle, Toulouse, Biarritz, Racing Metro, Stade Francais, Toulon and Perpignan.
La Rochelle 22 - 17 Castres
The first game of the new season was to produce the surprise of the round as newly-promoted La Rochelle beat of the challenge of last year's overachievers, Castres. Things looked ominous for the newcomers at the Stade Marcel Deflandre as Castres flyhalf Cameron McIntyre went over with only three minutes on the clock. Tries from fullback Sebastien Boboul, Benjamon Ferro and Norman Ligairi howver saw the host home safely despite a second half effort from Castres no. 8, Joe Tekori.
Toulouse 44 - 24 Agen
Toulouse came out on top in the clash of the Heineken cup and Pro D2 champions at the Stade Ernest Wallon. The european champions had far too much for their willing, if lacking, opponenets, outscoring them 6 tries to three and, in doing so, claiming an attacking bonus point. William Servat burrowed over for Guy Noves' men's first effort. Yann David was next over, finishing off a lovely bit of interplay form Cedric Heymans and Yannick Jauzion. A cheeky up and under from David Skrela lead to their third with Jauzion this time finishing before Maxime Medard made it four for Toulouse.
Some sloppy handling saw Agen pick up a try with Romain Edmond Samuel capitalizing on some poor play from the Toulouse backs. Their 4 try advantage was soon restored however, as Clement Poitrenaud started and finished an impressive attack for the men in black. Medard went in again to complete Toulouse's scoring while tries for Miguel Avramovic and Samuel again added a bit of respectability to the scoreboard for Agen.
Biarritz 30 - 22 Montpellier
New man Fabien Galthie was unable to steer his Montpellier team to an away win against a formidable Biarritz outfit. Despite outscoring the host 3 tries to 2, Galthie's charges were unable to contend with the boot of Dimitri Yachvilli who slotted over 20 points. Tries from Julien Peyrelongue and Philip Bidabe completed Biarritz's tally, while Jean-Matthieu Alcalde, Sakiusa Matadigo and Pierre Bernard scored for the visitors. The win was overshadowed for Biarritz somewhat by the news that destructive prop Fabien Barcella will miss the next six months with a ruptured achilles tendon picked up in training during the week.
Brive 18 - 23 Racing Metro
Cash rich Racing Metro started their season positively with a good win away to Brive. Shorn of the likes of Francois Steyn, the Parisian club made the perfect start with outhalf Jonathan Wisniewski going over with only a minute on the clock. The boot of Alexis Pallison kept Brive in the game with five successful penalties but a second half try from Lionel Cronje meant that the home team was always chasing the game.
Stade Francais 43 - 12 Bourgoin
The fortunes of the other new coach in the Top 14 painted a stark contract with Fabien Galthie's. Michael Cheika's Stade side dismantled a poor Bourgoin outfit in front of 9,000 spectators at their temporary home, the Stade Charlety. Bourgoin's recent off field problems have been well documented, with the DNACG keeping a close eye on the club. Today however, it was the team's performance that was the worry. Dimitri Szarzewski scored Stade's first try after 38 minutes and the human wrecking ball that is Mathieu Bastareaud powered over in Lomuesque fashion immediately after the restart. Sergio Parisse marked his return to the fold with a simple try after an impressive scrum by the Parisians. Julien Arias and Hugo Southwell also went over for Stade while their opponents had to be content with penalties from Alberto di Bernardo and Matias Viazzo.
Toulon 22 - Bayonne 26
Big spending Toulon were shocked by a determined Bayonne outfit on opening day, going down by 4 points and conceding two tries to their solitary effort. Despite new boys Carl Hayman, George Smith, Rudi Wolf and Paul Sackey, Toulon failed to break down a Bayonne team only in the Top 14 by virtue of Montauban's financial problems at the tail end of last season. Wing Yohan Huget crossed twice for the visitors while Toulon could only munster a penalty try late on and 17 points through the boot of Felipe Contepomi.
Perpignan 21 - Clermont 13
Perpignan ground out a scrappy 8 point win over Les Jaunards to atone somewhat for the disappointment of last year's final. Newly capped french international Jerome Porical scored 15 points with the boot while outhalf David Mele landed two drop goals to keep the visitors at arm's length. Napolioni Nalaga scored a try for Clermont while Brock James endured another forgettable evening with the boot.
The game was perhaps most remarkable for a horrendous stamp by Perpignan replacement Guillaume Vilaceca on Thibaut Privat in the last ten minutes. Vilaceca saw red and is most likely facing a lenghtly stay on the touchline.
Perry Freshwater, Sione Lauaki and Porcial enjoyed good nights and no doubt Perpignan will be the happier of the two side having not only won, but denied their opponents a losing bonus point.
La Rochelle 22 - 17 Castres
The first game of the new season was to produce the surprise of the round as newly-promoted La Rochelle beat of the challenge of last year's overachievers, Castres. Things looked ominous for the newcomers at the Stade Marcel Deflandre as Castres flyhalf Cameron McIntyre went over with only three minutes on the clock. Tries from fullback Sebastien Boboul, Benjamon Ferro and Norman Ligairi howver saw the host home safely despite a second half effort from Castres no. 8, Joe Tekori.
Toulouse 44 - 24 Agen
Toulouse came out on top in the clash of the Heineken cup and Pro D2 champions at the Stade Ernest Wallon. The european champions had far too much for their willing, if lacking, opponenets, outscoring them 6 tries to three and, in doing so, claiming an attacking bonus point. William Servat burrowed over for Guy Noves' men's first effort. Yann David was next over, finishing off a lovely bit of interplay form Cedric Heymans and Yannick Jauzion. A cheeky up and under from David Skrela lead to their third with Jauzion this time finishing before Maxime Medard made it four for Toulouse.
Some sloppy handling saw Agen pick up a try with Romain Edmond Samuel capitalizing on some poor play from the Toulouse backs. Their 4 try advantage was soon restored however, as Clement Poitrenaud started and finished an impressive attack for the men in black. Medard went in again to complete Toulouse's scoring while tries for Miguel Avramovic and Samuel again added a bit of respectability to the scoreboard for Agen.
Biarritz 30 - 22 Montpellier
New man Fabien Galthie was unable to steer his Montpellier team to an away win against a formidable Biarritz outfit. Despite outscoring the host 3 tries to 2, Galthie's charges were unable to contend with the boot of Dimitri Yachvilli who slotted over 20 points. Tries from Julien Peyrelongue and Philip Bidabe completed Biarritz's tally, while Jean-Matthieu Alcalde, Sakiusa Matadigo and Pierre Bernard scored for the visitors. The win was overshadowed for Biarritz somewhat by the news that destructive prop Fabien Barcella will miss the next six months with a ruptured achilles tendon picked up in training during the week.
Brive 18 - 23 Racing Metro
Cash rich Racing Metro started their season positively with a good win away to Brive. Shorn of the likes of Francois Steyn, the Parisian club made the perfect start with outhalf Jonathan Wisniewski going over with only a minute on the clock. The boot of Alexis Pallison kept Brive in the game with five successful penalties but a second half try from Lionel Cronje meant that the home team was always chasing the game.
Stade Francais 43 - 12 Bourgoin
The fortunes of the other new coach in the Top 14 painted a stark contract with Fabien Galthie's. Michael Cheika's Stade side dismantled a poor Bourgoin outfit in front of 9,000 spectators at their temporary home, the Stade Charlety. Bourgoin's recent off field problems have been well documented, with the DNACG keeping a close eye on the club. Today however, it was the team's performance that was the worry. Dimitri Szarzewski scored Stade's first try after 38 minutes and the human wrecking ball that is Mathieu Bastareaud powered over in Lomuesque fashion immediately after the restart. Sergio Parisse marked his return to the fold with a simple try after an impressive scrum by the Parisians. Julien Arias and Hugo Southwell also went over for Stade while their opponents had to be content with penalties from Alberto di Bernardo and Matias Viazzo.
Toulon 22 - Bayonne 26
Big spending Toulon were shocked by a determined Bayonne outfit on opening day, going down by 4 points and conceding two tries to their solitary effort. Despite new boys Carl Hayman, George Smith, Rudi Wolf and Paul Sackey, Toulon failed to break down a Bayonne team only in the Top 14 by virtue of Montauban's financial problems at the tail end of last season. Wing Yohan Huget crossed twice for the visitors while Toulon could only munster a penalty try late on and 17 points through the boot of Felipe Contepomi.
Perpignan 21 - Clermont 13
Perpignan ground out a scrappy 8 point win over Les Jaunards to atone somewhat for the disappointment of last year's final. Newly capped french international Jerome Porical scored 15 points with the boot while outhalf David Mele landed two drop goals to keep the visitors at arm's length. Napolioni Nalaga scored a try for Clermont while Brock James endured another forgettable evening with the boot.
The game was perhaps most remarkable for a horrendous stamp by Perpignan replacement Guillaume Vilaceca on Thibaut Privat in the last ten minutes. Vilaceca saw red and is most likely facing a lenghtly stay on the touchline.
Perry Freshwater, Sione Lauaki and Porcial enjoyed good nights and no doubt Perpignan will be the happier of the two side having not only won, but denied their opponents a losing bonus point.
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