Clermont crush Bayonne to go top

Clermont resumed their customary position at the French Top 14 summit with a crushing 55-0 victory over a weakened and outclassed Bayonne.

In a rare midweek fixture programme that means most teams will play three matches in just eight days, several sides, including Bayonne, put out virtual second-string formations.

And it proved a chastening experience at the Stade Marcel Michelin where Clermont had wrapped up a bonus point inside the first 24 minutes.

By then South African flank Gerhard Vosloo, New Zealand wing Sitiveni Sivivatu and fellow Fiji-born flyer Noa Nakaitaci had gone over to push the hosts into a 24-0 lead.

France international Nakaitaci added a second score before the break while Australian flyhalf Brock James was exemplary from the tee, kicking 14 points.

Things did not get any easier for Bayonne after the break as Vosloo scored twice more to complete a hat-trick while Sivivatu crossed for his second, taking the score past the half-century mark.

"I'm obviously satisfied with this lovely win. We were especially good at the breakdown," said Clermont's New Zealander coach Vern Cotter.

"We managed to rotate our squad and so we're prepared for Sunday's trip to Paris (to face Stade Francais)."

Clermont replaced Stade at the Top 14 summit as the Parisians suffered a second-half meltdown in their 38-10 defeat at reigning champions Castres.

American international Scott LaValla's try deep into first-half overtime ensured Stade turned around trailing just 12-10 at the break, following early tries for the hosts from Marc-Antonie Rallier and Remi Lamerat.

But the second half turned into a massacre as Brice Mach, Lamaret again, Remy Grosso and Marcel Garvey ensured Castres took home the maximum five points thanks to the attacking bonus.

Australian centre Matt Giteau scored twice and South African flank Danie Rossouw got on the scoresheet too as European champions Toulon went second, a point behind Clermont, with a bonus victory over newly-promoted Brive, who had two players sin-binned.

France internationals Mathieu Bastareaud, Maxime Mermoz, Sebastien Tillous-Borde and Alexis Pallison all crossed, as well as New Zealand's Rudi Wulf as the hosts' backs ran riot in a 62-12 victory at the Stade Mayol.

Giteau notched seven conversions and a penalty to finish with a personal haul of 27 points.

However, Toulon coach Bernard Laporte was far from happy, accusing his players of over-indulgence.

"The first half was everything but a rugby match. Up against a courageous team, who we have to pay tribute to, what displeased me was our ungratefulness, the complacency," said Laporte.

"Everyone wanted to enjoy themselves rather than hurt themselves. That annoyed me profoundly."

In the day's late match Racing Metro suffered a second heavy away defeat to potential title rivals within the space of 10 days.

Toulouse bounced back from their defeat at Clermont on Saturday with a 30-6 win.

Tries from Gael Fickou, Yannick Nyanga and Samoan Joe Tekori ensured Toulouse took the bonus point.

Last season's second division champions Oyonnax continued their positive start to life in the Top 14 with a 24-22 success over 2012 European Challenge Cup winners Biarritz, leaving the Basques bottom of the table.

Silvere Tian and Antoine Tichit crossed for Oyonnax while former France half-back Dimitri Yachvili scored 17 points for Biarritz, with American wing Takudzwa Ngwenya scoring their sole try.

Catalans Perpignan managed a bonus-point victory as they ran in five tries in their 36-13 win over Grenoble while Montpellier won 36-29 at Bordeaux-Begles.

Collated French Top 14 results:

Castres 38 Stade Francais 10

Bordeaux-Begles 29 Montpellier 36

Clermont 55 Bayonne 0

Oyonnax 24 Biarritz 22

Perpignan 36 Grenoble 13

Toulon 62 Brive 12

Toulouse 30 Racing Metro 6

French Top 14 standings (played, won, drawn, lost, points for, points against, total points):

Clermont – 4 – 3 – 0 – 1 – 134 – 67 – 14

Toulon – 4 – 2 – 1 – 1 – 151 – 76 – 13

Castres – 4 – 2 – 0 – 2 – 115 – 63 – 12

Toulouse – 4 – 2 – 0 – 2 – 114 – 78 – 11

Montpellier – 4 – 2 – 1 – 1 – 103 – 94 – 11

Perpignan – 4 – 2 – 0 – 2 – 109 – 95 – 10

Stade – Francais – 4 – 2 – 0 – 2 – 92 – 87 – 10

Bordeaux-Begles – 4 – 2 – 0 – 2 – 93 – 106 – 9

Bayonne – 4 – 2 – 0 – 2 – 73 – 126 – 9

Oyonnax – 4 – 2 – 0 – 2 – 74 – 102 – 8

Racing – Metro – 4 – 2 – 0 – 2 – 61 – 94 – 8

Grenoble – 4 – 2 – 0 – 2 – 66 – 112 – 8

Biarritz – 4 – 1 – 0 – 3 – 62 – 96 – 6

Brive – 4 – 1 – 0 – 3 – 75 – 126 – 5

AFP