Toulouse Consolidate Against Relegation-threatened Montpellier

Paris, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th May, 2024) Toulouse consolidated their position as Top 14 leaders with a 29-22 victory over relegation-threatened Montpellier on Saturday.

First-half try doubles from Mathis Castro Ferreira and Fijian Setareki Bituniyata, allied with nine points from the boot of Baptiste Germain, were enough to see Toulouse pull away and hold their lead over the club placed 13th in the league.

Cobus Reinach, a member of South Africa's World Cup-winning squads in 2019 and 2023, notched up his own brace of tries after former All Black George Bridge had crossed for the first of Montpellier's three tries, all also coming in a frantic opening 40 minutes.

The result leaves Montpellier wallowing at the wrong end of the table with just two matches of the regular season to contest.

Lyon held on to beat Racing 92 20-14 to condemn Montpellier to a likely relegation play-off against the losing finalists from the second-tier Pro D2.

Bottom club Oyonnax went down 27-17 to fourth-placed Toulon and sit 10 points adrift of Montpellier.

While not mathematically guaranteed straight relegation, it would be a huge shock should Oyonnax make up that difference over two games.

The top two in the final standings go directly into the semi-finals with teams placed third to sixth going into the play-offs.

La Rochelle moved into fifth place thanks to a 25-23 win over Pau with tries from English winger Jack Nowell, centre Jules Favre and a penalty try.

Ronan O'Gara's side, who have been deposed as Champions Cup winners this season, have yet to win a Top 14 title.

Castres faced a crucial away trip to Clermont, but the hosts racked up a bonus-point 36-20 victory to leapfrog them into eighth spot (56pts).

Bayonne, in 11th on 52pts, edged Perpignan, in ninth on 54, 23-20.

Second-placed Stade Francais (67pts) host Bordeaux-Begles, in third on 63pts, on Sunday.