Top 14: Le Garrec shines as Lancaster's Racing 92 edge Paris derby

DECENT AUDITION: Stade Francais' French full-back Kylan Hamdaoui (L) fights for the ball with Racing92's French scrum-half Nolann Le Garrec (R). Pic: MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP via Getty Images

Scrum-half Nolan Le Garrec put on an ‘international-standard’ performance as Racing 92 won a rain-sodden arm-wrestle of a derby against Stade Francais at Stade Jean Bouin, according to head coach Stuart Lancaster.

The 21-year-old, “had one of the best matches I have seen him play,” the former Leinster coach said after his side’s 13-9 win, their eighth in a row on their Parisian rivals’ home turf.

In the week it was confirmed France captain Antoine Dupont will miss the 2024 Six Nations as he switches focus to the sevens game ahead of the Paris Olympics, Le Garrec wasted no time making an early case for Fabien Galthie’s consideration as a replacement with a composed performance in difficult conditions.

Le Garrec was busy around the many rucks on a day that favoured close-quarter, forward-heavy rugby, took charge of the exits and had the upper hand over his opposite number, veteran Rory Kockott, all match, even when Racing’s pack was backpedalling in the scrums.

Centres Gael Fickou and Henry Chavancy – who scored the game’s only try in the 17th minute – also had the better of counterparts Jeremy Ward and Joe Marchant in the battle of midfield, as Racing condemned Stade Francais to a second defeat of the season.

Alun Wyn Jones brought down the curtain on a remarkable career by captaining Toulon to a thrilling 30-27 win at Clermont. 

He left the pitch to a standing ovation with 14 minutes left, but came back on as an injury replacement as Toulon weathered a 30-phase clock-in-the-red assault on their line, after taking the lead via a Jiuta Wainiqolo try in the 78th minute.

Another veteran, All Black Owen Franks, also called time on his career at the end of a short-term World Cup contract with Toulouse. Unlike Jones, his last match ended in defeat, 31-23 at the conclusion of a frenetic six-try derby at Castres.

Richard Cockerill is just seven matches into his run as Montpellier’s head coach, but his position is already subject to intense speculation. 

The 2022 champions slipped to the foot of the table following a 23-16 loss at Perpignan – their sixth defeat in a row, after an opening weekend win over La Rochelle back in August.

Reports suggest club owner Mohed Altrad has called a meeting with players and staff for Sunday.

Bayonne had the worst attack in the Top 14 coming into this weekend, having managed to only score seven tries in the first six matches of the season. 

But they went some way to correcting their stuttering start with ball in hand, crossing four times in 80 minutes in front of a joyous packed house at Stade Jean Dauger to end Pau’s five-match winning streak with a 35-16 victory.

Oyonnax climbed to 10th in the table with a 38-20 win over Lyon at Stade Charles Mathon. 

“It’s not disappointment, it’s anger,” Lyon’s international scrum-half Baptiste Couilloud told Canal Plus immediately afterwards. 

“[We were] not worthy of the jersey.” 

Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle will look to double down on last weekend’s hard-earned win over Bayonne when they host Bordeaux in front of the 83rd sell-out crowd in a row at Stade Marcel Deflandre on Sunday night.

O’Gara has recalled his French front row forward for the match, with Uini Atonio, recently talked out of international retirement by Galthie starting for the first time since the World Cup, after being named on the bench last weekend.