Top 14 Round One Recap

The 2018/19 Top 14 season got off to an interesting start this weekend with 3 sides picking up away victories which are usually extremely hard to come by.

Perpignan 15-46 Stade Francais

Stade Francais were the first side to break the home side dominance as they claimed their first win under Heyneke Meyer.

They scored 6 tries to beat Perpignan despite going down to 14-men after Sergio Parisse was controversially sent off in the first half.

Bordeaux Begles 41-19 Pau

Bordeaux secured their first win of the season as they scored 4 tries to beat Pau.

Nans Ducuing and Romain Lonca both scored braces in the match while Semi Radradra and Eto Nabuli made their debuts off the bench.

Bordeaux no.8 Afaesetiti Amosa had an outstanding game making 20 carries and 13 tackles. 

Clermont 67-23 Agen

Clermont got their season off to a fantastic start as they ran in 10 tries to secure the biggest victory of the weekend.

Alivereti Raka scored two tries on his return from injury while Isaia Toeava was involved in 6 tries scoring 2 and assisting a further 4. 

Lyon 16-16 Toulouse

Cheslin Kolbe set up arguably the try of the round when he sliced through Lyon defence with a fantastic step.

This game was closely contested with neither side able to get the better of the other.

Former All Blacks Charlie Ngatai and Jerome Kaino both made their Top 14 debuts, while Lyon will be concerned about Delon Armitage who had to be stretchered off just after the hour mark.

La Rochelle 28-21 Grenoble

Grenoble showed they have what it takes to stay up this season after a narrow loss to one of the strongest home sides in the Top 14.

La Rochelle lock Romain Sazy weighed-in with 21 tackles for his side - missing just one. 

South Africans JC Janse van Rensburg and Raymond Rhule made their debuts for Grenoble while Lopeti Timani's debut was cut short just 15 minutes into the game with an injury.

RC Toulon 9-25 Racing 92

Racing 92 made an early statement of intent as they secured a fantastic away win over Toulon.

Simon Zebo and Finn Russell starred on their Top 14 debuts with the latter scoring two tries and finished the game with 20 points.

19-year-old no.8 Jordan Joseph also made his Top 14 debut off the bench,

Montpellier 20-25 Castres

The replay of last season's Top 14 final would have felt a bit like Groundhog day

for Montpellier fans as Castres claimed a narrow win over Montpellier.

Before this game Castres had not picked up win over Montpellier at Altrad Stadium in 5 years.

Scott Spedding repaid Castres faith in him with an outstanding performance scoring two tries and assisting a third while Johan Goosen looked lively on his return to the Top 14.