Top 14 Wrap: Round Eight
Killer blow: Yannick Jauzion scores for Toulouse in Paris
Neighbours Toulouse and Montauban were the big winners in Round eight as the defending champions ended Stade Français's unbeaten run and Clermont were conquered at home.
After much speculation, Guy Novès showed up in Paris with arguably his strongest team as France's two biggest clubs kept close to 80 000 people entertained at the Stade de France.
Elsewhere, Bayonne continued their strong start to the season with a win over Brive while Montpellier were stopped at home as Bourgoin recorded just their second win.
Results:
Mont-de-Marsan 6 - 33 Biarritz
Perpignan 17-6 Dax
Clermont 25-30 Montauban
Montpellier 12-19 Bourgoin
Bayonne 14-9 Brive
Stade Français 13-26 Toulouse
Toulon 17-21 Castres
Standings:
1 Stade Français 31
2 Toulouse 27
3 Perpignan 25
4 Bayonne 24
5 Biarritz 22
6 Clermont 21
7 Montpellier 19
8 Montauban 19
9 Brive 15
10 Bourgoin 14
11 Toulon 14
12 Dax 14
13 Castres 12
14 Mont-de-Marsan 7
Biarritz 33 - 6 Mont de Marsan
A first win away from home for Biarritz thanks to an excellent second half. Completely dominated in the line-outs and physical confrontations, Mont-de-Marsan were punished for their errors and were easily beaten in the latest round of this season's series of basco-landais derbies.
A bonus point win was just what the BO troops needed after a dip in form. Dimitri Yachvili's return to fitness coincides perfectly with the Basques return to the top of the table. The French international's kicking prowess from the tee let him down in the first half but an improved performance in the second period sealed the hosts' fate.
Perpignan 17-6 Dax
Without a recognised specialist fly-half, Perpignan got the job done to stay in touch with the leading duo. Nicolas Durand was the ad-hoc number ten for the day but was the next Catalan to be struck by the fly-half jinx as he left the field injured after 36 minutes.
A courageous Dax pack took their hosts on head first for much of the game and with the scores level at 6-6 at half time must have believed that at least a repeat of last year's draw was on the cards after Perpignan wasted three chances to score.
But a try from number eight Damien Chouly early in the second period - after three consecutive 5m scrums - and a drop from 20-year-old replacement fly-half Cédric Coll in the dying minutes were enough to put Perpignan out of reach.
Dax head home empty handed but reassured after a solid performance that will raise their spirits after the drubbing handed to them by Brive in Round Seven.
Clermont 25-30 Montauban
What a day for Montauban! Their first win in Clermont in 50 years, revenge for last week's defeat to the same opponents in European competition, their first win in any competition in a month and a bonus point to boot made for a great afternoon for the visitors to Marcel-Michelin.
Montauban's defence held firm as Clermont camped in their 22 for the last ten minutes of the match, but were unable to get the match-saving try.
Tries from centre Yoan Audrin and flank Marc Raynaud in the first half were complimented by two more from Fijian and former Clemont wing Vilimoni Delasau and Romanian prop Bogdan Balan in the second period.
Clermont could only reply via the boot of Brock James and a solitary try from Julian Malzieu shortly after the break.
Montauban are now just two points behind Clermont, who will be far from happy with just a losing bonus point in their second consecutive home
defeat after going down to Sale in the Heineken Cup.
Montpellier 12-19 Bourgoin
This is a huge result for Bourgoin. Few expected CSBJ to win on the road against such a promising Montpellier side, but the visitors led from start to finish.
Bourgoin's South African centre Rudi Coetzee score the only try of the game earlier in the second half as he rounded off a counter attack started by Florian Denos.
The visitors were up 12-6 at half time thanks to some flawless kicking by fly-half Benjamin Boyet, who slotted three penalties and a drop goal.
Bayonne 14-9 Brive
It took a whole half of rugby for Bayonne to find their stride. Brive took the early initiative and led 6-3 at the break thanks to two penalties from Andy Goode.
However, Bayonne awoke in the second half and a try 20 minutes from time by flank Guillaume Bernad put the home side ahead. A drop goal from Aussie fly-half Manual Edmonds five minutes later was enough to secure the win as another penalty each from Goode and Edmonds kept the lead unchanged.
Bayonne continue ether impressive run and remain in the top four while Brive slip closer to the wrong end of the table.
Stade Français 13-26 Toulouse
Guy Novès' threats of taking an under-strength team to the capital - as he did on two previous occasions - did not come to pass as the 78 782 spectators at the Stade de France were treated to a top-drawer match from the two top-of-the-table sides.
Toulouse came to play and play they did, outscoring Stade Français two tries to one.
David Skrela opened the scoring for the visitors with a drop goal after just four minutes. Jean-Baptiste Elissalde doubled the lead before Stade Français wing Julien Arias scored the first try, despite the fact that the home side had been reduced to 14 men after Mirco Bergamasco was shown a yellow card.
Toulouse took control of the match on the twenty minute mark as two tries in five minutes effectively settled the clash between the titans. Clement Poitrenaud crossed over and then French international team-mate Yannick Jauzion touched down.
Deprived of the services of Juan Martin Hernandez, who was forced off the field after half-an-hour, the Parisians were unable to get back into the game as Elissalde added two more penalties in the second period to cancel out six first-half points from Lionel Beauxis.
Toulon 17-21Castres
A heartbreaking result for Toulon, while Castres score their second win this season.
Toulon fly-half Sebastian Fauqué scored all of his side's points, including the only try of the game to add to a drop goal and three penalties. Cameron McIntyre kicked two drop goals and a penalty for Castres to add to four penalties from ever-consistent full-back Romain Teulet.
Toulon had led for most of the match only to see McIntyre kick his second drop on the 70-minute mark before Teulet slotted his last three-pointer three minutes from time.