Top 8: Leaders remain unbeaten
The French Top 8 is building very nicely to the big crunch match between the top two.
Published by John Birch, November 29th, 2017
2 minute read
Montpellier and Lille continued their dominance of the French championship in round six.
Champions Montpellier hosted fourth placed Blagnac in what looked a tricky tie, and at first it appeared so as the visitors scored twice in the opening twenty minutes. However, Montpellier battled back and by halftime – thanks to tries from Agathe Sochat and Cyreille Banet and the boot of Morgane Peyronnet – they lead 14-10.
However, the second-half was all for Montpellier as they ran in four tries, including a brace for Caroline Boujard, resulted in a big 41-10 bonus-point win for Montpellier, their fourth in six games.
Second placed Lille had a much closer game after their visit to newly promoted Bayonne. Bayonne dominated possession for the first ten minutes, but came away with only a penalty. Lille quickly responded with a try, the power of their forwards showing from a 5m scrum, and then doubled their score 10 minutes later from an almost identical position.
However, Bayonne battled back. A penalty try, with Romane Menager at fault, pulled them back just before half-time, and a penalty early in the second half bright them within a point of Lille – but Lille weathered the storm, added a penalty and a third try. Bayonne nonetheless deservedly scored a late try to win a losing bonus point.
Third placed Toulouse slipped up in the Auvergne where Romagnat held them to an 8-8 draw, as a result of which they now lie nine points behind Lille and 11 behind Montpellier.
Finally, Rennes recorded their second win of the year, beating Bobigny to 24-22 to go fifth – so despite their heroics Bayonne fall to eighth.
PTS
P
W
D
L
F
A
PD
OB
DB
Pts
1
Montpellier
6
6
0
0
207
75
132
4
0
28
2
Lille
6
6
0
0
164
95
69
2
0
26
3
Toulouse
6
3
1
2
96
81
15
1
2
17
4
Blagnac
6
3
0
3
90
122
-32
0
1
13
5
Rennes
6
2
0
4
95
113
-18
1
2
11
6
Romagnat
6
1
1
4
73
140
-67
1
1
8
7
Bobigny
6
1
0
5
110
150
-40
1
2
7
8
Bayonne
6
1
0
5
75
134
-59
0
2
6
The next round is on 10th December