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Serin-led Bordeaux stop Clermont train

TOP 14, SATURDAY WRAP: Baptiste Serin helped Bordeaux-Begles bring Clermont’s four-match winning streak to an end with a nail-biting 23-19 victory in the Top 14 on Saturday.

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Serin, capped 20 times by France, booted three penalties, converted pushover tries by Vadim Cobilas and Afa Amosa, and was instrumental in guiding his team around a packed Stade Chaban-Delmas.

Clermont’s Scotland scrumhalf Greig Laidlaw kept the visitors in the game with four penalties of his own before South African Jaco Van Tonder crossed the whitewash, replacement Camille Lopez hitting the extras, to set up a nerve-racking final 15 minutes.

While Clermont lost their 100 percent winning record, they did manage to bag a defensive bonus point and still hold a five-point advantage at the top of the table, although Toulouse and Stade Francais could both draw level on points with the leaders when they play on Sunday.

“We go home with a point, we could have brought back more if we had been patient with the ball, that’s what we missed,” said Clermont coach Franck Azema. “We had a lot of breaks but we did not score.”

Bordeaux’s Australian flyhalf Brock James, who spent 10 years with Clermont, was yellow-carded four minutes into the second half after a blatant handling foul.

But the home side, coached by 33-year-old Englishman Rory Teague, scored 10 points in his absence, Serin urging his teammates around the park as Clermont struggled with ball in hand against an aggressive defence.

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The Bordeaux defence “did a good job”, said Teague. “When you want to hurt the opposition you must put them under pressure.”

“We didn’t do everything right. There are always things to improve,” added the Bordeaux coach.

“It’s a match that will make us feel good for a week as we prepare for La Rochelle.”

Reigning champions Castres suffered their second loss of the season to miss the chance to move level with Clermont as they were beaten 11-27 by Racing 92 at the Paris La Defense Arena.

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Home side Racing raced into a 17-3 half-time lead with tries from Virimi Vakatawa and Irish fullback Simon Zebo.

The visitors hit back after the interval and cut the gap to just six points as prop Paea Fa’anunu touched down, but the capital club pulled clear again late on through Zebo’s second try, as Scotland flyhalf Finn Russell finished the game with 12 points.

“We are satisfied with the result, we have almost put 30 points past the champions when we’re in a period of transition, with major players gone and injured,” said Racing co-coach Laurent Labit.

Castres slipped to fifth in the table, behind Racing on head-to-head record as the last of four teams on 14 points.

La Rochelle also won at home, scoring four tries as they beat Lyon 30-13 to climb back into the top half of the table.

In the battle of the winless promoted clubs, Grenoble survived a late flurry from Perpignan and won 31-22.

The visitors scored three tries, all in the second half, to one by Grenoble, but paid for their indiscipline. Gaetan Germain was able to kick eight penalties and a conversion for the home team.

Toulon, who started the weekend just above the bottom two, touched down five times as they dispatched Agen 33-3.

Sunday sees Pau take on Stade, while Toulouse play Montpellier.

Agence France-Presse

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