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TOP 14 ROUNDUP: Stade Francais hold off big fightback
By Russell Greaves
Stade Francais laid down a marker in Saturday's impressive 35-24 win over last season's Top 14 table-toppers La Rochelle.
The European Challenge Cup winners, who finished seventh last term, produced a stunning first-half display and held off a fightback from the visitors to put aside the disappointment of their opening-game loss to Lyon.
Greg Cooper's side were irresistible in the first 40 minutes, leaving La Rochelle to nurse a 30-7 half-time deficit as the great Sergio Parisse dotted down after Antoine Burban, Alexandre Flanquart, and Tony Ensor had crossed the whitewash.
La Rochelle, winners over Brive in their season opener, proved a greater threat after the interval, but Afa Amosa's five-pointer and a late penalty try, adding to Dany Priso's first-half score, were not enough to forge a route back into the contest, with Marvin O'Connor responding for the hosts.
Le tour d'honneur des vainqueurs du jour #SFPSR #SFParis pic.twitter.com/PxgSs9iPro
— Stade Français Paris (@SFParisRugby) September 2, 2017
Newly promoted Agen got their first win of the season as Racing 92 succumbed to a 23-19 loss, while Castres overcame Bordeaux-Begles 33-19.
Elsewhere, Lyon downed Brive 29-14, Montpellier clocked up 21 unanswered second-half points to thrash Oyonnax 37-6, and Pau remain pointless following a 23-19 defeat to Toulouse.
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Latest Comments
Brett, from my distant perspective, I hope you get to keep the Rebels. Any ideas of teams from Japan or Argentina are just crazy. Won’t happen. If you look at logistics, it is much easier to get to LA from Auckland, Brisbane, Melbourne or Sydney than to Buenos Aires. All with direct non-stop daily flights. You may even get some “gringos” to watch the games, with some younger players compared to Giteau and Nonu who still “play” in the area. I think it is virtually impossible to get a competitive Argie team for SR. All Pumas are in Europe, almost all second tier players are also in Europe. Fringe players are in South American pro rugby tournament (and many still in the MLR!) but these players who might be most interested in joining a new Jaguares do not have the skills to compete. As I have been saying since the Jaguares joined, they should have had TWO teams to make logistics for visiting teams better and Argie player development improved as well. Jaguares/Pumas was not ideal. But this is where Pichot and his cronies did not think long enough. Further the country with he new president “No hay Plata” Milei is in a very difficult situation. Galperin, the richest man in Argentina owns the Miami franchise of MLR. I don’t think you can get him to invest in Argentina. Actually, he played rugby himself. He was a fly half. He is worth around $6 billion!
Go to commentsWell done Baby Boks we will take the Draw. No 9 senseless long passes in those conditions. let’s move on and hope for some good weather
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