Pennod 16 Top 14: Rygbi Ffrainc

-Subtitles

-Subtitles

-

-Subtitles

-As the national side

-lost to Wales on Friday...

-..French attention

-returned to the Top Quatorze.

-The front runners, Racing

-were home in Paris...

-..with Clermont at their stronghold

-in the massif central.

-Before moving

-up the country's spine...

-..we start at Toulon

-at the Stade Felix Mayol.

-Toulon were eyeing the top spot

-when they welcomed Brive.

-The supporters were relieved to

-hear...

-..that James O'Connor's condition

-wasn't serious...

-..after being ill last week.

-This is the best opportunity so far

-for the home team.

-They've set up a rolling maul

-at the back of the line-out.

-The little train

-starts to chug forward.

-They go for the try line.

-Brive must have

-brought that down illegally.

-It's an early penalty

-try for the home side.

-What will they do this time?

-It's messy but the hooker, Orioli,

-cleans it up.

-Pelissie finds Vermeulen,

-the South African giant.

-Pelissie has to dig the ball out.

-Armitage feeds Taofifenua.

-The international lock

-gives them go forward.

-It comes back to the blind side.

-Ma'a Nonu out to Josua Tuisova.

-The Fijian splashes down.

-Do Brive have an answer?

-They've been second best in

-every aspect of play so far.

-They're moving forward now

-with the driving maul.

-The lock breaks free,

-they need quick ball.

-The long pass out by Mathieu Ugalde.

-Quick hands from Mignardi and

-another Fijian, Masilevu, crosses.

-It's a wonderful try for Brive.

-It's more of the same from Toulon.

-Vermeulen sets up the driving maul.

-Brive have no answer to this tactic.

-Once again, they must

-have taken it down illegally.

-The referee agrees

-and he's playing advantage.

-Germain goes for it,

-but he's missed the ball.

-The fullback made a mess.

-That is incredible from

-Delon Armitage to catch the ball.

-Has he got it down?

-We might see from this angle.

-Yes he has, that's miraculous stuff

-from the Englishman.

-Rumour has it he's headed

-to Bath next season.

-Toulon are on the opposition 5m line

-at the start of the second half.

-The driving maul once again.

-They've had so much success...

-..from this tactic

-this season and this match.

-They're moving forward,

-will they cross this time?

-Who's in control?

-It's the lock!

-It's a try for the lock Taofifenua!

-This match has been won

-amongst the forwards.

-That's another example.

-Vermeulen, Pelissie to Tom Taylor.

-The Kiwi breaks.

-Does he have the pace?

-He's there!

-The referee has seen something.

-He just wants to check.

-Is there crossing? No, there isn't.

-He cut through the defence

-like a hot knife through butter.

-Tom Taylor does brilliantly

-to get there.

-A great try from the

-former Crusaders fly half.

-What do Brive have left to offer?

-That's a neat little move. It's

-the replacement hooker who crosses.

-It's Da Ros.

-The try has been awarded.

-Toulon have been head and shoulders

-better than their opponents today.

-Toulon spread it out wide.

-Bastareaud, Armitage.

-The ball is spilt.

-Mikautadze sets it up. Out the back

-to Quade Cooper who sees the space.

-Here's Drew Mitchell.

-Out of my way he says to Masilevu.

-The Australian, Quade Cooper,

-spotted his fellow countryman.

-He saw the space he had.

-He used his power and speed

-to cross in the corner.

-Despite the horrible conditions

-and wet weather...

-..Toulon have given us

-quite a show today.

-To stay in the race,

-Clermont also needed a victory.

-It was on the cards considering

-their opponents were Oyonnax.

-Oyonnax have conceded

-the most points...

-..in this season's Top Quartoze.

-The first scrum of the game.

-The referee gives

-the free kick to Oyonnax.

-Cibray takes it quickly

-and Ursache takes it on.

-It's a good start by the visitors

-and they have an advantage.

-They are trying to spin it early on.

-They are looking for gaps.

-Cibray keeps it moving and

-Sobela receives it back inside.

-There in support is the

-ever youthful, Tonga'uiha.

-Cibray to Power and Etienne.

-They are flowing here.

-Pune to Sheridan.

-This is very threatening.

-Ursache is there again

-and be breaks away.

-Ursache has scored for Oyonnax.

-They deserve that

-for starting so well.

-Ursache was the main man.

-Parra is starting to take charge.

-Clermont are trying to

-get back into to it with Nakaitaci.

-Parra to James.

-There's a penalty as Toeava gets it.

-Out to Strettle who heads for the

-corner but Etienne makes the tackle.

-We'll come back for the kick.

-Parra with Clermont's first chance.

-That's a clean strike.

-It's 3-7.

-Oyonnax have the lead.

-Can they hold their ground here?

-The referee thinks not.

-He's dismissed the condition

-of the pitch. Clerc is penalized.

-Parra can give his team the lead

-for the first time.

-Parra with 26 minutes on the clock.

-Four successful kicks for him.

-12-10.

-The international scrum half

-is in total control.

-Lapandry was in support.

-Parra finds James again.

-James feeds Toeava who finds a gap.

-Toeava is finally tackled.

-Out to Rougerie

-who cuts back inside.

-Ulugia, the hooker, charges

-as the pressure increases.

-Tonga'uiha is digging for it.

-He must be offside.

-It's another penalty and

-another chance for Morgan Parra.

-Five out of five so far.

-The gap extends to five points.

-18-13 at the break.

-Clermont have moved up a gear

-since the break after a lecture.

-Raphael Chaume has it as

-advantage is signalled.

-The backs are waiting and James

-with the long pass to Fofana.

-Yato steps inside and

-Fofana has wrapped around.

-At last, a Clermont try.

-Fofana spotted the flanker on the

-wing and found space outside him.

-James with the long ball to Toeava.

-He looks for a gap and keeps going

-as the defenders close around him.

-Clermont will want to strike.

-Chaume keeps the move alive.

-James to Rougerie to John Ulugia.

-The gap must be there.

-Parra pops it up for Nakaitaci.

-A second try for Clermont.

-The home team are on top.

-Wave after wave of attacks

-with plenty of support runners.

-The skilful winger was in

-the right place at the right time.

-A rare chance for Oyonnax

-in this half.

-Cibray, Etienne, Ursache.

-Etienne had no option but to kick.

-Nakaitaci beats the first man

-and he's away to the races.

-He's ripped the Oyonnax defence

-asunder and Toeava will score.

-A try for the fullback.

-Three tries in eight minutes.

-The result is in the bag.

-Fancy footwork by the winger.

-His pace and instinctive nose

-for a gap set up the fullback.

-Jacquet wins the line.

-The drive is being

-controlled by Fritz Lee.

-Back it comes.

-Radosavljevic to Lopez.

-More to come from Rougerie.

-They go up a gear near the try line.

-Radosavljevic fed Debaty's charge.

-Westhuizen, the hooker,

-is digging for it.

-He's held up

-before he gets to the line.

-Radosavljevic feeds the backs.

-Fofana to Lapandry who cuts inside

-to score Clermont's fourth try.

-The flanker scores.

-They needed another try

-for the bonus point.

-Nice handling and support running.

-It was easy for Lapandry at the end.

-Clermont have been

-slow starters once again.

-They've secured

-a handsome win in the end...

-..with excellent play

-and some high quality tries.

-Comfortable wins for

-two of the leading teams.

-After the break, Racing will try

-to remain top by beating Castres.

-Back in two minutes.

-.

-Subtitles

-No team has won more games in the

-Top 14 this season than Racing.

-Castres travelled to Paris...

-..hoping to deny them their

-twentieth win in the championship.

-The scrum was the platform for

-Castres' famous victory...

-..over Racing in the Stade Pierre

-Antoine back in November.

-They're showing their strength

-again early on.

-Ben Urdapilleta.

-The first chance for points.

-The Argentinian outside-half

-doesn't often miss.

-Only Castres and Agen

-have beaten Racing this season.

-The young scrum-half,

-Xavier Chauveau, for Racing.

-A little bit loose.

-It's a bit scrappy.

-Goosen up from the back.

-Szarzewski out to Nyanga,

-both former internationals now.

-Imhoff the Argentinian,

-who scored one of the four tries...

-..in the win against Grenoble

-last week.

-Dan Carter is out at centre today.

-But this is Julien Brugnaut,

-the loose-head prop.

-Excellent defending by Castres.

-They're keeping the league leaders

-at bay.

-The referee is signalling advantage

-to Racing.

-Here they come again, led by

-Francois van der Merwe this time.

-Nyanga is missed out.

-Imhoff through the gap. Oh my!

-Had Dan Carter been there,

-but it was Remi Tales.

-A missed opportunity.

-Back all the way to the far side.

-Offending in the ruck.

-Carter.

-Why on earth are they playing the

-best outside-half at centre?

-Laurent Travers,

-formerly of Castres.

-They were champions under him

-some three seasons ago.

-Excellent work by Castres to stop

-that drive from the line.

-This is a mess.

-Chauveau the scrum-half

-is behind the maul.

-Racing can't get on the front foot.

-Szarzewski maybe.

-Chauveau loses possession.

-Castres react first through

-the captain Rodrigo Capo Ortega.

-Urdapilleta.

-Castres are going for it.

-They have David Smith

-on the outside.

-Here he is. He scored an

-interception try against Clermont.

-Palis. That was a hopeless pass.

-Racing are attacking again.

-They need patience.

-It's in short supply in Paris

-tonight.

-Racing are yet to get

-on the scoreboard.

-Chauveau.

-Mike Phillips is on the bench.

-For how long, I wonder?

-Chauveau played well

-against Grenoble last week.

-We've heard quite a lot of the

-referee's whistle already.

-The referee is Salem Attalah.

-Dan Carter.

-He evens up the score.

-He gives the crowd

-something to cheer about.

-Urdapilleta.

-That wasn't a bad kick by Caminati.

-He collects his own kick.

-Castres.

-Their run of 40 unbeaten home games

-against Clermont ended last week.

-They're looking for the double in

-Colombes on a cold night in Paris.

-They have the wind at their backs

-during this first half.

-It's very bumpy at the moment.

-Defences have been strong...

-..but we've seen frequent errors

-in the opening thirty minutes.

-David Smith on his second visit

-to Paris this week.

-He returned to Castres crestfallen..

-..when it emerged that he'd played

-for the New Zealand Sevens team.

-Otherwise he'd have been

-in Cardiff last night.

-Kockott whips out the pass.

-David Smith waits but there's no way

-through for the Samoan-born winger.

-This time, perhaps.

-That was a handy kick

-from Urdapilleta.

-Caminati is through.

-Hallelujah! A try at last.

-Vision by Urdapilleta.

-He had to reach for the pass.

-He saw Caminati out on the left.

-That was a lovely kick,

-inch-perfect.

-It's 10-3 at the start

-of this second half.

-There's one score in it. Kockott.

-That one went to no-man's-land.

-If anyone can inject some pace

-into proceedings, it's Marc Andreu.

-Not this time.

-The whistle rings out once again.

-Urdapilleta.

-To stretch the gap to 10 points.

-He's done that.

-It was 34-8

-in the corresponding fixture.

-Christophe Urios

-isn't celebrating yet.

-Kockott sends it high once again.

-Nobody claimed it.

-Racing counter.

-At last, Goosen feeds Andreu.

-That was a big hit on him

-from Caminati.

-That has ignited the crowd

-once more.

-The referee,

-Salem Attalah, plays on.

-He needs to have

-his eyes everywhere.

-The big prop, Ben Tameifuna

-took the ball up.

-You wouldn't think Racing are top

-the league after this performance.

-Castres are eighth and hope to climb

-to the all important sixth spot.

-They're facing the gun barrel

-once more.

-Carter keeps Racing

-within touching distance.

-There are fifteen minutes to go.

-The Racing supporters

-are starting to wonder.

-They're looking at their watches

-as Nyanga took that one in.

-Masoe and Carizza, the Argentinian,

-are in support.

-It's like an United Nations team

-in Paris.

-Imhoff came in off his wing.

-He's another Argentinian.

-He breaks down the middle.

-Where's the support?

-It's slow arriving.

-Is there a way through

-and a way back for Racing Metro?

-Will Castres take the double here?

-The referee plays advantage

-for the Parisians.

-Carter cuts the gap again

-with his third drop goal.

-Phillips digs for the ball,

-the clock has turned red.

-Castres go in over the ball,

-they've won it too.

-Look at their faces!

-Castres and Christophe Urios

-have completed the double.

-It's Racing's third loss

-of the season.

-They topped the league this morning.

-Urdapilleta drills the ball

-into touch.

-It's another notable victory

-for the visitors.

-Here's a quick look

-at the weekend's results.

-Stade's poor season continues.

-They lost 18-33 at home to Grenoble.

-Agen got the best of La Rochelle

-in the weekend's closest match.

-As we've already seen, Toulon

-and Clermont's results were similar.

-Both scored 44 points

-in their home games.

-Bordeaux-Begles won 3-15

-away at Pau.

-Castres' victory over Racing

-was the weekend's shock result.

-It's all change at the top.

-Racing have yielded

-their place to Toulon...

-..despite the Parisians

-having a game in hand.

-Clermont are third

-with Bordeaux coming in fourth.

-Toulouse could open up a gap between

-the top five and the rest...

-..if they beat Montpellier.

-In the lower half...

-..it's still surprising that

-Stade Francais are in trouble.

-The most surprising move is

-Agen moving off the bottom.

-Nicky Robinson's side

-now prop up the table.

-We'll be back with an update on

-Tuesday night. Until then, goodbye.

-S4C Subtitles by Testun Cyf.

-.