The defending champion Montpellier won Saturday against Clermont the match that should not be lost during the 20th day of the Top 14, of which La Rochelle takes second place after the defeats of Stade Français and Lyon.
Air for the MHR
It was, by the very admission of their manager Philippe Saint-André, a “match of the muerte” for the Montpellier residents.
Winners with a bonus from Clermont (34-6), they remain alive in this championship, even if they are still six points behind the first six places, qualifying for the final phase.
The MHR made the round back in the first half in double numerical inferiority, before taking advantage at the end of the match of the exclusion of the third line Clermont Judicaël Cancoriet to inflate the score and end a series of four consecutive losses.
“We needed this victory. It was a double or nothing match. Either we played the maintenance, or we played the top 6 […] Everyone gave their body for the team, for the club,” appreciated Hérault captain Anthony Bouthier.
The Auvergnats, unable to impose themselves on the outside since the arrival on the bench of Christophe Urios, see them the final phase moving away a little more.
La Rochelle doubles Paris and Lyon
The Rochelais take their revenge. Surprised on the first leg in October on their Deflandre lawn (38-21), they gave Pau back their own coin in their Hameau stadium (36-32).
Carried by their international opener Antoine Hastoy, author alone of 26 points, including a try, against his former team, the European champions seize the dolphin chair occupied so far by the French Stadium.
The Parisian club, now third, fell heavily at Mayol against an inspired Toulon offensively (37-9), like their scrum half Baptiste Serin, all the good moves in the first act, and their winger South African Cheslin Kolbe, in legs.
Stade La Rochelais also benefited from Lyon’s stoppage in Castres (27-22). Lyon’s fine series of five straight wins ended at the Pierre-Fabre stadium, where the CO fell two weeks ago for the first time in more than two years, against La Rochelle (32-17).
A defeat that cost manager Pierre-Henry Broncan his place. His successor Jeremy Davidson succeeded in his baptism at home, through which the maintenance of the Tarnais, still eleventh, will inevitably pass.
“There, we are the happiest in the world”, savored the Castres pillar Quentin Walcker. “We needed to win, first in accounting terms, but also for the head, to validate all the work done, because we work a lot”.
L’Usap a le morale
The public of Aimé-Giral has been spoiled lately. After their offensive festival against Pau (49-29), the Perpignanais did it again in front of Bayonne (34-27).
Authors of four tries in the first half, they seemed to be on their way to another easy success on their ground, but Aviron stuck to their coattails until the end.
Thanks to this fourth victory in five matches, Usap gives up 13th and penultimate place to the Pau Section, which has a margin of seven points on the red lantern, Brive.
The Corréziens were beaten at home by Bordeaux-Bègles (28-7) and its recomposed international hinge Maxime Lucu-Matthieu Jalibert.
A third victory in a row for the Girondins, now fifth and more than ever in the game for qualification in the final phase after having had a difficult start to the season.
The 20th day ended on Sunday (9:05 p.m.) with an enticing confrontation between Racing 92, in search of points, and the leader Toulouse, two very playful formations.
