Pennod 26 Top 14: Rygbi Ffrainc

-Subtitles

-Subtitles

-

-Subtitles

-Two weeks left of the regular season

-and it's still tight at the top.

-Clermont, Racing, Montpellier and

-Toulon have secured play-off places.

-But there are five more teams in the

-running for the two remaining slots.

-One of those is Castres who

-travelled to Oyonnax on Saturday.

-We have highlights of that match

-later.

-But we start

-with the Friday night match.

-La Rochelle welcomed Racing

-to Stade Marcel-Deflandre.

-The home side still had an

-outside chance of a play-off place.

-Racing were intent on a top two

-finish to avoid the quarter-finals.

-As a result, they fielded a strong

-side that included Luke Charteris.

-Racing in blue and white

-have started very well.

-Racing go wide

-to the centre, Chavancy.

-That's a clean break and the

-inside support is by Juan Imhoff.

-One of the best wingers in the world

-scores Racing's first try.

-Henry Chavancy shrugged off

-the tackle and sensed the support.

-Imhoff from Argentina.

-Chauveau had plenty of options.

-The forwards take it on.

-Racing 92 are attempting

-to challenge for the title.

-They were gutted to lose

-the European Champions final lately.

-Vulivuli tries to release it

-but La Rochelle infringe.

-The penalty is given

-and Racing can increase their lead.

-Thomas Charabas penalises

-La Rochelle for stopping Vulivuli...

-..from releasing the ball

-on the ground.

-This is Maxime Javaux.

-He makes it 10-0 to the visitors.

-Laurent Labit, the Racing coach,

-must be happy with this start.

-La Rochelle get something going...

-..through Julien Audy

-and their captain, Uini Atonio.

-The ball is too slow coming out.

-It's a chance

-for La Rochelle to close the gap.

-In the corresponding fixture

-in Paris...

-..Racing 92 won a very close game

-by 20 points to 19.

-The culprit there

-was the No.8, Antoine Claassen.

-Zack Holmes, La Rochelle's fly half.

-The New Zealander

-has a kick from 40 metres.

-Stade Marcel-Deflandre is packed.

-La Rochelle pick up some points.

-The home team

-really needed that little boost.

-The referee has just indicated

-that the advantage is over.

-Great play by the centre,

-Mali Hingano.

-Julien Audy spreads it to Holmes.

-Carizza is out there for Racing.

-La Rochelle go wide

-without making ground.

-Alofa Alofa tries to find the gap.

-Charteris is on the ground

-and he's been penalised.

-He didn't really

-have anywhere to go.

-He's complaining but

-it's a penalty for the home team.

-There's no doubt that Luke

-Charteris' rugby has improved...

-..since his move to France

-to play for Perpignan and Racing 92.

-This is a tough kick,

-ten metres in from the touchline.

-Zack Holmes settles.

-It's a good hit and another

-successful kick for La Rochelle.

-They are back in the game.

-Audy to Holmes.

-Once again, the centre

-Mali Hingano takes centre stage.

-A significant gain

-before he's tackled by Ben Arous.

-Holmes drew his man before feeding

-the imposing frame of Atonio.

-It's a knock-on but Thomas Charabas

-comes back for the advantage.

-Here's the infringement.

-Luke Charteris

-is the culprit once again.

-The tackle

-was around Hingano's neck.

-Zack Holmes, the man of the moment.

-That's another successful kick

-for the outside half.

-One point separates the sides.

-The scrum half, Xavier Chauveau,

-gets support from Claassen...

-..the South African number eight.

-The Racing forwards arrive.

-Chauveau has knocked on.

-The referee

-has obviously spotted an offence.

-A player was offside that time.

-The referee was correct.

-It's an easy kick for Maxime Javaux.

-It's over.

-Injuries to Dan Carter

-and Johannes Goosen...

-..have given

-the young outside half his chance.

-Racing are in the La Rochelle 22.

-A try just before half-time

-would be a boost for the Paris team.

-They continue to spread the ball.

-Vulivuli the architect.

-It comes out to Chavancy.

-That's a great kick by the centre.

-Imhoff takes advantage.

-It bounced kindly into his grasp.

-A second try for Racing

-and a second try for Juan Imhoff.

-They were a bit lucky

-but Chavancy saw his chance.

-Did Imhoff push his man

-before getting possession?

-La Rochelle need to strike back

-at the start of the second half.

-The forwards are all together.

-In there is the hooker, Forbes.

-The drive is a powerful one.

-The referee is on the spot.

-He's given the try.

-Bizarrely, the ball was with the

-replacement scrum half, Januarie.

-Look at this.

-Did he ground the ball?

-There is a doubt about that.

-The referee

-already had his arm in the air.

-That's strange.

-There's very little

-in this game to La Rochelle...

-..except the pride

-of winning at home again.

-Claassen

-and the scrum half, Chauveau.

-Vulivuli.

-Racing raise the tempo

-but lose possession.

-The captain, Atonio.

-La Rochelle

-aim to spread it immediately.

-Imhoff went in a bit high there.

-He doesn't think so but the referee

-is playing advantage.

-Ricky Januarie has made a difference

-for La Rochelle.

-Players from both sides

-are losing their tempers.

-Thomas Charabas will have to be very

-careful and keep an eye on things.

-Things could get out of hand.

-He is going to consult

-the TMO, Vincent Azoulay.

-Imhoff went in a bit high

-on the outside half, Holmes.

-It was touch and go.

-What is the referee's decision?

-Oh, no,

-he shows Imhoff a yellow card.

-That's laughable.

-Chauveau, the scrum half.

-His aim from the start is to get the

-Racing backs running with the ball.

-They haven't done that consistently.

-Claassen has been in the middle

-of things all afternoon.

-The platform has been set.

-They lose possession

-but the kick saves the day.

-This is Murimurivalu.

-He led with an elbow there

-and the referee spotted it.

-There are players

-seeing red on both sides.

-The referee

-wants another look at that.

-What happened here?

-He does lead with the arm and elbow.

-That's very dangerous.

-Considering what happened to Imhoff,

-this should also be a yellow.

-There it is, despite Atonio's

-complaints as La Rochelle captain.

-Six points separate the teams.

-It's a penalty to Racing.

-It's a lovely kick by Maxime Javaux.

-He extends Racing's lead.

-This is a chance for Januarie

-and he has support.

-The ball has been lost

-and this is the pacy Marc Andreu.

-Dulin is in support.

-Dulin will score here as Andreu

-draws his man with perfection.

-That's the score that ensures...

-..Racing's continued presence

-near the top of the league.

-Brice Dulin, the former French

-fullback, was in the right place.

-La Rochelle were attacking

-but Andreu spotted the loose ball.

-He galloped away

-and then waited for support.

-A perfect pass

-to put Dulin under the posts.

-The expected result there with La

-Rochelle's season effectively over.

-Join us after the break for

-another crucial game from France.

-Castres took on Oyonnax hoping to

-strengthen their grip on sixth spot.

-.

-Subtitles

-Subtitles

-

-Subtitles

-We visit Stade Charles Mathon

-for our second match.

-Oyonnax welcomed Castres

-to their home in the Rhone-Alpes.

-With two rounds remaining, Castres

-occupied the vital sixth spot...

-..within reach of the play-offs...

-..but they needed victory here and

-results elsewhere to go their way.

-A win here looked likely

-for the visitors...

-..against a team

-already relegated to the Pro D2.

-The band plays on here

-at Stade Charles Mathon...

-..although the fate

-of their team is clear.

-They'll be playing

-in the Pro D2 next season.

-That was quite a dangerous tackle.

-The referee, Laurent Cardona,

-agrees with me.

-This won't be an advantage.

-The whistle has blown.

-No need to celebrate.

-We can see from the replay

-that it was rather dangerous.

-He lifted the legs

-above the horizontal.

-It could be

-the first points of the match...

-..for the Castres scrum half

-Rory Kockott.

-A successful kick. After seven

-minutes, the visitors lead 0-3.

-There's nothing in this match

-for Oyonnax.

-It's their last home game

-in the Championnat.

-Just as I say that, Ma'afu

-breaks away from the rolling maul...

-..and crosses

-for the first try of the match.

-He's playing at flanker tonight.

-He's played most of the season

-at number eight.

-He's one of their best players,

-without a doubt...

-..and he's just scored

-their first try.

-Where will this man be playing

-next season? I'm not sure.

-He has a contract with Oyonnax.

-Will he be happy

-to play in the Pro D2?

-Who knows? But I'm sure

-he's happy with that effort.

-7-3 to Oyonnax.

-Who has the dominance in the scrum?

-It's turning,

-possibly intentionally.

-A referee agrees with me.

-Impossible!

-It's another chance

-for Welshman Nicky Robinson...

-..to stretch the home side's lead

-after 20 minutes of the game.

-It's a straightforward kick.

-Three points for the home side.

-It's 10-3.

-Oyonnax have had a good first half,

-as they have throughout the season.

-The forwards

-are keeping it tight here.

-They're inches from the try line.

-Another charge

-from the number eight, Faure.

-Fabbri is going for it.

-It's slow ball.

-Castres came in from the side,

-I think.

-Advantage is being played.

-It's a free play. This is a

-chance to try something different.

-This is Robinson with the dummy,

-then a lovely pass.

-Cardona, the ref, is down.

-The try looks good.

-Nicky Robinson found the gap

-and passed to his back.

-Cardona missed the grounding.

-Rory Kockott's kick

-has been knocked down.

-Castres have the ball.

-Kockott is back in the move.

-Oyonnax have completely bossed

-the first half.

-That was a great tackle by Gunther

-but he was offside.

-Oyonnax have controlled play...

-..but Rory Kockott's right foot

-has kept Castres in the game.

-This penalty is for the high tackle,

-not for the offside.

-Will he get the angle right?

-Yes. It's 17-9.

-Rory Kockott has already had

-one kick at the posts...

-..in this second half,

-but he was unsuccessful.

-That's a good charge

-from the number eight, Tulou.

-This looks like another opportunity

-for Rory Kockott.

-The tackle was a good one.

-Marc Clerc was too slow to move

-away from the back of the ruck.

-Kockott strikes this better.

-Straight through the middle.

-The first points of the second half

-are scored by Castres.

-Only five points in it.

-Oyonnax's replacement prop,

-Tonga'uiha, is penalised.

-Pushing across and then

-collapsing it says the referee.

-A correct decision.

-The Oyonnax fans aren't happy.

-Rory Kockott on the other hand will

-be quite happy with that effort.

-The score is 17-15.

-Oyonnax need points and they get

-the possession that they also need.

-They haven't had much possession in

-the first 20 minutes of this half.

-They'll need to score points.

-All season,

-they've been a first-half team.

-There's a chance here.

-A ruck had formed.

-Castres had their hands on the ball.

-It gives Nicky Robinson a chance.

-It's his first chance

-of the second half.

-He's successful.

-Oyonnax 20-15 Castres.

-There are 20 minutes left.

-This game is important to Castres

-in the battle for sixth place.

-Palis, the fullback,

-catches it and feeds Smith.

-He's looked dangerous all night.

-It's an excellent drive from him.

-There's a penalty coming here.

-No advantage.

-The open-side flanker,

-Pierrick Gunther, is penalised.

-Is there a card?

-No, there isn't.

-There will be a penalty.

-Rain is beginning to fall

-here in Oyonnax.

-David Smith. Castres need

-to give him the ball more often.

-Gunther was penalised.

-Another chance for Rory Kockott.

-He's hit the post once.

-That one

-is straight down the middle.

-Two points in it.

-A wonderful drive

-by the prop, Tichit.

-Kockott feeds his outside half,

-who feeds Smith.

-It looks like a try to me.

-The pass from Dumora

-could have been forward.

-Referee Cardona is having a chat

-with his assistant.

-I think it's the grounding

-that they'll have a look at.

-Was David Smith's foot in touch?

-No.

-Did he ground the ball? Yes, he did.

-It's a try for Castres

-and it puts them in the lead.

-The game is over.

-The final score

-is Oyonnax 20-25 Castres.

-That's a crucial victory

-for Castres.

-A comfortable win and a bonus point

-for Bordeaux against Brive.

-That point could be crucial to their

-hopes of reaching the play-offs.

-A rare win for Pau as they beat

-Grenoble at Stade du Hameau.

-There was excitement in Paris as

-Stade Francais won by a whisker...

-..against Agen, thanks

-to a late kick from Jules Plisson.

-Four of the top five meet today...

-..so there's no change

-in the top half of the table.

-Toulouse, Castres and Bordeaux

-are chasing two play-off places.

-Toulouse could grab their spot

-with a win today against Clermont.

-There isn't much between

-Oyonnax and Agen at the bottom.

-The two meet next week so we'll

-find out then who finishes bottom.

-Join us on Tuesday night

-for extended highlights.

-They'll include today's

-two top-of-the-table clashes.

-Toulouse welcome Clermont

-and Montpellier take on Toulon.

-Until then, goodnight.

-S4C Subtitles by Testun Cyf.

-.