Bordeaux sneak past Toulouse
Instead they came away from the Atlantic coast with only a defensive bonus point after losing for just the second time this season.
Bordeaux won for the second time, but still ended the day just outside of the top six.
French international wing Vincent Clerc dashed through a gap to open the scoring under the posts for Toulouse after 21 minutes, but three penalties from flyhalf Baptiste Serin kept Bordeaux ahead as they dominated possession.
Raphael Ibanez's side piled forward in the first quarter of the second half and were twice held up on the Toulouse goal line but came away from that with just a fourth Serin penalty to show for it.
They nearly paid the price for that soon after with Toulouse dangerman Clerc twice breaking clear down the middle before Fiji wing Timoci Matanavou went over in the corner only for the try to be disallowed for him having a foot in touch.
Bordeaux clawed back to 12-10 with a penalty from Jean-Marc Doussain with 10 minutes to go, but the same player missed with a similar potentially match-winning kick with four minutes to go.
In other games Top-14 champions Toulon had a field day against struggling Oyonnax running in eight tries in a 61-3 thumping, Brive won away at Pau and Grenoble pulled off an upset 31-23 win away to Castres.
Friday night's action saw Racing 92 get the better of Stade Francais 27-18 in the Paris derby.
League leaders Clermont were in action later Saturday against third-placed Montpellier. Four points separate the two sides.
AFP
