Sawt Falasteen - Seven-try Lyon beat Pau, climb to Top 14 summit

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Seven-try Lyon beat Pau, climb to Top 14 summit
Seven-try Lyon beat Pau, climb to Top 14 summit / Photo: Alex MARTIN - AFP

Seven-try Lyon beat Pau, climb to Top 14 summit

Lyon defeated Pau 51-25 in a clash of the early top two on Saturday to rise to the summit of the French Top 14 table, while Racing 92 charged back to beat La Rochelle.

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Lyon dotted down seven tries at the Stade de Gerland to extend their perfect start to three wins in as many games.

After a dominant display at Racing 92, Karim Ghezal's men inflicted a first defeat this season on visitors Pau.

The two teams traded tries for much of the game but Lyon pulled ahead after Pau's Baptiste Pesenti was shown a red card for a dangerous tackle on Mickael Guillard after 51 minutes.

Pau scored four tries themselves, with Portuguese centre Rodrigo Marta touching down twice in a three-minute spell around the quarter-of-an-hour mark.

But Lyon stalwarts Jiuta Wainiqolo, Guillard and scrum-half Baptiste Couilloud all scored, with Adrien Seguret's late try securing a bonus point.

Last season's runners-up Montpellier notched their first home win of the season, 50-13 against Perpignan, as Bayonne blew hot and cold before seeing off Clermont 46-24.

Racing 92 bounced back after two dismal performances with a spirited 20-10 comeback win at La Rochelle.

The capital club were 10-0 down at the interval but turned the tide, sparked by a magnificent break by Max Spring to score a 52nd-minute try.

The visitors took the lead six minutes from the end, with Romain Taofifenua securing victory with their second try in the final minute.

Toulon fell 29-27 on the road against Castres, their third straight defeat.

Argentine fly-half Tomas Albornoz failed to convert a winning drop goal for Toulon after the final hooter.

O.Salim--SF-PST