Toulon top the table after Clermont’s loss

Clermont’s centre Benson Stanley (centre) vies with Oyonnax’s players during the French Top 14 rugby union match at the Michelin stadium in Clermont-Ferrand, central France yesterday. (AFP)

AFP/Paris Defending champions Toulon returned to the summit of the Top 14 yesterday while Clermont were upset at home to Oyonnax and Montpellier battled back to draw 24-24 at Racing-Metro.  Bernard Laporte’s Toulon, who take on Irish side Leinster in the European Champions Cup semi-finals next Saturday, picked up their fifth away victory as they overpowered Grenoble 35-24.  The win gives them 65 points and a three point lead on Clermont who came unstuck 11-10 at home to Oyonnax in one of the day’s surprise results.  Third-placed Stade Francais drew on Friday 19-19 at La Rochelle and fall four points off the pace.  Grenoble ran in four tries to Toulon’s two but seven combined penalties and two conversions from Welsh full-back Leigh Halfpenny, French great Frederic Michalak and Englishman Delon Armitrage carried the European champions to an 11 point win.  Oyonnax are clinging to sixth place in the table and the final playoff spot and their victory was vital at Clermont as they stay three points above Montpellier.  “We knew that for them, it would be extremely complicated to prepare a home match between a European Champions Cup quarter-final and semi-final,” Oyonnax coach Christophe Urios said in reference to Clermont’s upcoming last-four clash against English side Saracens next Saturday.  “We prepared very well and then during the match we hung on and battled hard as well as being taking our opportunities.  We’re happy to confirm our hard work with a victory and we showed today that even if it is not our main objective, we deserve our sixth place (in the table.” added Urios.  In other matches, French international scrum-half Jean-Marc Doussain scored a try with two minutes left as Toulouse stole victory from Bayonne 20-17 in a thriller at the Ernest-Wallon stadium.  Finally, Brive won a crucial relegation battle 22-20 at Lyon as the visitors remain rooted to the bottom, while Brive give themselves a cushion on second-from-bottom Castres, who host Bordeaux-Begles in the final match.  Clermont opened the scoring againt Oyonnax, when Peceli Yato touched down and Brock James knocked over the conversion, but the visitors were resistant in the trenches for the rest of the match and eventually ground down the former French champions.  Montpellier came back from 14 points down to force a 24-24 draw as the Racing squandered a golden chance to close ground on the leaders.  At Colombes, Racing were heading for victory and an offensive bonus point after dominating the match for long periods but Montpellier dug in and launched their comeback with 19 minutes to go. Australian fly-half Ben Lucas booted over three pressure penalties sandwiched around a crucial try from Fijian international Timoci Nagusa, who appeared to break his arm just before crossing the line, as Jake White’s team kept up their bid for a playoff spot.  South African-born French international Antoine Claasen and scrum-half Maxime Machenaud both scored two tries for Racing but the French number nine was left distraught after his late foul led to the tying penalty.  Racing lie fourth, level on points with Toulouse, as the battle for fourth, fifth and sixth develops into a pressure cooker.  On Friday, La Rochelle extended their unbeaten run to six matches as they battled title challengers Stade Francais to a draw.  The two points picked up by the visiting side from the capital did take them top of the table at least overnight.  Stade Francais coach Gonzalo Quesada was satisfied to get something from the match after their late comeback.  “We knew that La Rochelle would be a difficult team to break down but I wouldn’t say we lost two points, I’d rather say we gained two,” said the coach.  “It was important not to pick up any more injuries so two points and no injuries is a good bonus.” he added.  La Rochelle remain tenth in the table but move eight points above the relegation zone.