It was the start of a try-fest weekend, with 33 touchdowns in the opening five games – including nine for Toulouse and seven for Clermont.
The win was hardly unexpected – Bayonne have not won here since 2011 – but the emphatic nature of the final score was particularly impressive. The visitors were still in touch at 7-3 after 30 minutes, but it was 21-3 just ten minutes later. In eight home games, Ronan O’Gara’s side have conceded only four tries, 18 in all Top 14 matches.
The forwards took on the bulk of the try-scoring work. France training camp-bound hooker Pierre Bougarit and back row Gregory Alldritt both scored twice and Bougarit was only denied what would have been his second hat-trick of the season when Bayonne collapsed a maul that was marauding to the try line. The yellow card and penalty try that followed were inevitable.
Bougarit is now the league’s joint leading scorer with eight tries, joining an exclusive front row club. Only Bismarck du Plessis, Marius Tincu, and Dimitri Szarzewski have scored as many tries in a Top 14 season. And he’s only four behind the 12-try record for all forwards held by Louis Picamoles.
Despite playing on Friday, Alldritt will miss France’s ten-day Six Nations training camp in Nice for tests on a niggling knee problem that prompted Les Bleus to provisionally drop him for the Italy game on February 6, and callup Cameron Woki.
This story is from the January 24, 2021 edition of The Rugby Paper.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January 24, 2021 edition of The Rugby Paper.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
England can find a little bit of cheer
SO HERE we are on the final day of England’s autumn international series with all of us hoping and expecting Steve Borthwick’s team to win today after three weeks of bitter disappointment.
Stop messing with Marcus - Campese
DAVID Campese believes England are going backwards under Steve Borthwick, who is ‘messing around’ with talisman Marcus Smith.
Being a Lion was the highlight of my career
I PLAYED 19 games and scored 219 points for the Lions, on the tours to South Africa in 1968 and New Zealand in 1971, but I never played in a Test and that was fair enough.
Cook's crew not fazed as they eye tilt at top half
THERE appear to be few signs of second season syndrome at Westcombe Park as captain Nick Cook reveals the group aren’t even contemplating the threat of relegation and are instead targeting a top-half finish.
Forwards pack a punch for the Reds
OLD Redcliffians produced a proud defensive effort to take a bonus-point win.
Tom 'Ailes' the achievements of inspirational skipper Riley
SEDGLEY Park No. 8 Tom Ailes says his team relish the competitive nature of National One and is confident the Tigers can rectify their rocky start to the season in weeks to come.
Strachan confident Ampthill will be firing again soon
FRASER Strachan is determined to put Ampthill’s leaky defensive showings behind them and gain some much needed confidence in the run up to Christmas.
It's a whole new ball game for Rigg
WILL Rigg’s ambition was to become a professional cricketer but it is the oval ball rather than The Oval that is his driver now.
Scarratt leads the way for Lightning
LOUGHBOROUGH won a wet and windy East Midlands Derby after having the bonus point in the bag by half-time.
Becconsall: We need to release pressure
WILL Becconsall says Exeter are not spooked by the threat of relegation as they look to turn around their Premiership campaign after starting with six straight defeats.
