Savea breaks Top14 scoring duck
TOP14 WRAP: Barnstorming All Blacks wing Julian Savea finally scored his first try for Toulon on Saturday as the three-time European champions ended a run of three successive defeats.
Savea, nicknamed 'The Bus', arrived in France with a match-winning, line-breaking reputation forged by his 46-try career with world champions New Zealand.
However, his scoreless frustration in France matched the declining fortunes of his moneyed employers who were second from bottom before Saturday's 26-16 win over Perpignan, the only team behind them in the division.
With his team trailing 16-13 at the interval, Savea crossed for his team's second try in the 42nd minute, justifying the decision to switch him from the wing to the centre to replace Mathieu Bastareaud who is away on international duty.
Lock forward Romain Taofifenua set up the try, charging through before releasing Savea who burst two tackles before scoring under the posts.
Fijian duo Alivereti Raka and Peceli Yato grabbed crucial tries as an under-strength Clermont drew 27-27 with struggling Grenoble to stay top.
With a raft of players away on November international Test duty, Clermont were close to ending a poor recent record on the road where they had lost their last two away league matches.
Clermont were leading 27-20 with just five minutes left when Grenoble snatched a converted try to claim a share of the points.
Grenoble full-back Gaetan Germain then saw a penalty come back off the post to deny his side a famous victory.
Clermont's tries came from Tongan lock Sitaleki Timani, Raka, who is in the process of taking French citizenship, and another slaloming score from Yato with 12 minutes left.
Lock forward Romain Taofifenua set up the try, charging through before releasing Savea who burst two tackles before scoring under the posts.
Fijian duo Alivereti Raka and Peceli Yato grabbed crucial tries as an under-strength Clermont drew 27-27 with struggling Grenoble to stay top.
With a raft of players away on November international Test duty, Clermont were close to ending a poor recent record on the road where they had lost their last two away league matches.
Clermont were leading 27-20 with just five minutes left when Grenoble snatched a converted try to claim a share of the points.
Grenoble full-back Gaetan Germain then saw a penalty come back off the post to deny his side a famous victory.
Clermont's tries came from Tongan lock Sitaleki Timani, Raka, who is in the process of taking French citizenship, and another slaloming score from Yato with 12 minutes left.
Armand Batlle, Robert Ebersohn, Martin Laveau, as well as a penalty try, gave Castres the edge in the opening period with Alex Tulou crossing for the bonus point after the interval.
For Pau, it was a fifth defeat of the season and second heaviest after a 48-28 rout at the hands of Racing 92.
Meanwhile, Montpellier received a timely boost when influential South African lock Jacques Du Plessis was cleared to play on Sunday against Racing after two months out with an Achilles injury.
Du Plessis will, however, be drafted into the back row for the game in the absence of Louis Picamoles who is away with the France national squad.
Saturday's results:
Grenoble 27 Clermont 27
Castres 37 Pau 10
La Rochelle 33 Agen 29
Toulon 26 Perpignan 16
Toulouse 40-0 Bordeaux-Bègles
Sunday's Fixtures:
Lyon v Stade Français
Montpellier v Racing 92
AFP