Round five of the Top 14 season has been and gone, and we are now slowly seeing the top teams assert their dominance in the competition.
There were wins for table-topping Bordeaux-Begles and La Rochelle, Owen Farrell’s Racing 92 ended their run of rotten form and, of course, there was a sprinkling of stardust from some of the best players in the game.
Here is a full round-up of all the action in the Top 14.
Toulouse loss gives Bordeaux and La Rochelle breathing room at the top
Let’s kick the round-up off with the champions, shall we? After their tough defeat to Bordeaux last time out, Toulouse needed a solid performance; however they came unstuck yet again as they fell to a shock 28-23 defeat to Castres. The performance of fly-half Louis Le Brun proved crucial in the hosts’ victory over Les Rouge et Noir, with the 22-year-old notching an individual haul of 18 points (a try, two conversions and three penalties).
Castres continue la belle série face à son voisin et rival sur la pelouse de Pierre-Fabre : 6 victoires consécutives en #TOP14 contre Toulouse à domicile, leur dernière défaite remontant à avril 2019 👏 pic.twitter.com/0D4ja2rCSa
— TOP 14 Rugby (@top14rugby) October 7, 2024
This gave fellow title chasers Bordeaux and La Rochelle the chance to put some daylight between themselves and Toulouse; and they both took it.
Last year’s beaten finalists backed up their revenge mission from last weekend with a 30-27 win over Bayonne, thanks to tries from Nicolas Depoortere, Cyril Cazeaux, Temo Matiu and Romain Buros.
Not to be outdone, La Rochelle ran riot against Lyon, with Ronan O’Gara’s men sealing a 43-22 win. A brace from Quentin Lespiaucq-Brettes, as well as other scores from Thomas Berjon, Uini Atonio, Pierre Boudehent and Edouard Richer, helped them waltz to their fourth win of the season.
Despite there now being a gap at the top, it’s not all doom and gloom for Toulouse as a certain Antoine Dupont is back on club duty following his Olympic Sevens success.
Superstar Antoine Dupont set to make Toulouse return after Olympic Games success
English internationals clash
Turning attention to the scrap at the bottom now, former England and Saracens teammates Farrell and Mako Vunipola faced each other for the first time since their respective moves to France this season. In tight game, it was Farrell who came out on top, as the Parisians claimed a 27-24 win over the newly-promoted side.
Elsewhere on Saturday, fellow strugglers Stade Francais beat Montpellier 29-20 and Perpignan edged Pau 11-10, despite the best efforts of former Exeter Chiefs star Joe Simmonds, who scored five points for the visitors.
Baptiste Serin magic
What would the Top 14 be without a piece of magic? Well, this weekend it was Toulon ace Baptiste Serin who provided it, with a sensational kick in trying circumstances.
With time running out on the shot-clock, the ball fell off the tee; however this didn’t put Serin off as he still knocked over the long-range kick.
10 seconds left on the clock, ball drops off the tee, Baptiste Serin still slots it. Baller.#ASMRCT #Top14 pic.twitter.com/jMA1i8UyxX
— EK Rugby Analysis (@ek_rugby) October 7, 2024
Despite this, though, it wasn’t to be for Toulon as they fell to a 19-18 defeat to Clermont Auvergne.
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