Top 14: historic first for Stade Français, Montpellier looks gloomy... the Tops and Flops of the multiplex

TOPS

What a start to the season for the Palois! If the question had been asked at the start of the championship, few people would have dared to bet on a First Section of the Top 14 (tied) on the 6th day. But, even if you have to pinch yourself to believe it, the Pyrenees have just signed their fifth victory of the season in six matches. And not against the first comer: Bordeaux-Bègles (20-11), very ambitious this season, was counting on the return of its globalists. But Lucu, Jalibert and company could not avoid the success of the Palois who benefited from a Simmonds author of a 100% on the foot. The Section once again impressed.

This Top 14 multiplex saw the end of a statistic, and a historic success for Stade Français in Lyon. Never in their history have the Parisians succeeded in imposing themselves between Rhône and Saône. An anomaly that Zack Henri and his team were happy to correct (32-36). Faced with the Lyonnais who were often overwhelmed in defense but counting on a successful scorer (8/8 for Jackson), Sekou Macalou's teammates scored three away tries. A remarkable performance, which was not wasted despite a suspenseful end to the match. As a result, Stade Français recorded a fifth success in six matches and is leader, tied on points with Pau. A victory which could make the Ile-de-France leaders want to extend Rory Kockott, signed as a medical joker for the World Cup.

At the end of a complicated 2022-2023 financial year, Christophe Urios' men have regained color. The Jaunards played to scare each other but finally won in Montpellier, at the end of a breathtaking end to the match (17-20). A success which seemed acquired after a first period dominated head and shoulders by the Auvergnats, who led 17 to 3 at the break. But the yellow card from Fritz Lee (57th) almost changed everything, since the Héraultais scored two tries in quick succession. Despite everything, Clermont signed its fourth victory of the season, and finally won away. The Clermontois are sixth in the Top 14.

FLOPS

That the summer of 2022 seems far away for Hérault supporters. At that time, Montpellier won the Top 14 final and reigned supreme over French rugby. Nothing to do with the start of the season that the southern club is going through with this fifth defeat in a row against Clermont, at home moreover. The Montpellier club showed on Saturday afternoon that it was indeed going through a crisis. This disastrous first half reflected this, at the end of which Arthur Vincent and his teammates were given a terrible 14 by their opponents. The reaction of pride in the second act, helped by the yellow card received on the Clermont side, was not enough. As a result, the Montpellier residents are thirteenth in the standings and face Perpignan, last, next weekend in the match of fear.

If the Oyomen are able to put out excellent performances at home, like the victory against European champion La Rochelle in difficult conditions last weekend (19-17), that's a completely different story. far from their lands. Opposed to Castres Olympique, solid third in the championship, Oyonnax was no match. They sank (too) quickly against the well-oiled Castres machine, and quickly abandoned the idea of ​​grabbing even one defensive bonus point. All for a final score which leaves no room for doubt: 39 to 11. Next weekend, the Blacks and Reds will receive the LOU and would be well inspired to take advantage of the bottom of the table match between Montpellier and Perpignan to score points. points and move away from the red zone.