Montpellier snap losing run

Demetri Catrakilis kicked 17 points to guide Montpellier to a 32-15 victory over Bordeaux in the French Top 14, while there were also wins for Lyon, La Rochelle, Pau and Brive.

In a weekend of upsets, Montpellier finally came good to secure their first win of the new campaign.

Bordeaux led 6-0 thanks to a drop goal and a penalty from their marquee signing, Ian Madigan. But a converted try by Jesse Mogg and a penalty from Catrakilis edged the visitors into a lead they would not surrender again.

Catrakilis and Madigan traded penalties for a 13-9 scoreline in Montpellier’s favour before Frans Steyn was yellow-carded. Luckily for Jake White’s outfit the card didn’t cost them as both sides managed to add a single penalty during Steyn’s 10-minute absence.

Bordeaux’s ill-discipline continued after the break as Catrakilis extended his side’s advantage with two further penalties, while another converted try and a long-range Steyn penalty rounded off Montpellier’s scoring. Madigan only succeeded with a solitary penalty for Bordeaux.

In other unexpected results, newcomers Lyon secured a 32-13 bonus-point win against Grenoble and Brive inflicted a 25-21 defeat on hosts Toulon. This was Brive’s first win in 10 years at the Stade Mayol, while it was also Toulon’s second loss at home in two years.

Elsewhere, centre Paul Jordaan grabbed his first try for La Rochelle in their 26-18 triumph over hosts Castres, Pau clinched a comprehensive 25-9 bonus-point win against Bayonne (who played with 14 men for 65 minutes after an early red card) and Jules Plisson converted winger Waisea Nayacalevu’s last-minute try as Stade Français snatched a 30-30 draw with Clermont in Paris.

Round 3 results:

Bordeaux 15 Montpellier 35
Lyon 32 Grenoble 13
Toulon 21 Brive 25
Castres 18 La Rochelle 26
Pau 25 Bayonne 9
Stade Français 30 Clermont 30

Photo: Sylvain Thomas/Getty Images

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