Top 14 wrap: Round One
Shocker: Toulouse fall to Montpellier
There was a star-studded cast on show on Tuesday as the Top 14 started with a bang under France's evening sky with several new faces making their debuts.
High-profile names such as Jerry Collins, Mark Gasnier and Sonny Bill Williams immediately jumped out from the team sheets pre-game and their respective owners will hope such stars ultimately repay their hefty salaries over the season.
But it was two upsets that were the talking points come midnight local time as champions Toulouse left Yves du Manoir with just a losing bonus point as Montpellier triumphed 16-11
In evening's other shock result, new boys Toulon also made it a opener to forget for last season's beaten finalists Clermont as they recovered from a 0-13 deficit to win 22-16.
Results:
Perpignan 34-18 Brive
Castres 26-27 Bayonne
Dax 9-31 Stade Français
Montauban 37-19 Mont-de-Marsan
Biarritz 29-22 Bourgoin
Toulon 22 Clermont 16
Table after Round 1:
1. Stade Français 5
2. Montauban 5
3. Perpignan 4
4. Biarritz 4
5. Toulon 4
6. Montpellier 4
7. Bayonne 4
8. Castres 1
9. Toulouse 1
10. Clermont 1
11. Bourgoin 1
12. Brive 0
13. Mont-de-Marsan 0
14. Dax 0
Perpignan 34-18 Brive
Perpignan got their season up and running with a three-try win as they spoiled Andy Goode's Brive debut at the Stade Aimé-Giral.
Castres 26-27 Bayonne
These two outfits played out a nervy spectacle with the majority of the scores occurring in the first forty, setting up a tense finish at Pierre Antoine. But Bayonne held on for a morale-boosting victory that kick-starts their season.
Dax 9-31 Stade Français
Stade Français got their season off to the perfect start as they claimed a comfortable away victory at Dax. Loose forward Sergio Parisse crossed twice for the Parisians and fly-half Lionel Beauxis kept the scoreboard ticking over for the win.
Top 14 holders Toulouse were left shell-shocked by what was a fired up Montpellier side as they went down 16-11 at Yves du Manoir. Cédric Heymans had opened the scores wide out for the visitors but from then on the hosts dominated, despite a nerve-wracking final three minutes in the south of France.
Montauban 37-19 Mont-de-Marsan
Fijian wing sensation Vilimoni Delasau was the star for Montauban as he crossed for two tries on debut in their comfortable victory over Top 14 new boys Mont-de-Marsan.
Biarritz 29-22 Bourgoin
USA Eagles star Takudzwa Ngwenya scored a brace of tries as he and new signing Valentin Courrent scored all of their side's points in a 29-22 win over Bourgoin.
The former Toulouse half-back slotted two conversions and five penalties in response to the visitors' one score and the boot of Benjamin Boyet.
Toulon 22 Clermont 16
The second shock of the evening came at Felix Mayol as Top 14 new boys Toulon recovered from a nightmare first-half to claim an impressive victory.
And it was one of their star signings, Sonny Bill Williams, who got the ball rolling for Tana Umaga's men with a try just after the break.