Pau make no mistakes with vital victory

FORMER All Black Tom Taylor helped kickstart Pau’s Top 14 season in a vital 30-14 home victory over Lyon yesterday.

Having lost their opening two matches, away from their Stade du Hameau, Pau made no mistake in front of their home fans in sometimes driving rain.

Fijian backs Watisoni Votu (2) and Jale Vatubua crossed for tries, with three-time capped All Black playmaker Taylor kicking all three conversions and three penalties for a 15-point haul.

Lyon responded with two tries of their own through Dylan Cretin and Australian international flanker Liam Gill, French veteran half-back Frederic Michalak converting both, but it was never enough in a game Pau had full control of.

“Despite conceding a try at the start of the match, we delivered a controlled first-half, with lots of energy and good off-the-ball work,” Pau coach Simon Mannix said.

He has previously worked with Racing and Munster and is a one-cap All Black.

“After that, it was a bit like the weather – dreadful. But we stay focused.This win was essential for the club but the work must carry on.”

After the third weekend of Top 14 action, Montpellier are the only unbeaten team, continuing their winning start to the season by edging out Castres 22-17 on Saturday.

The early-season league leaders already have a four-point lead from Racing 92 at the Top 14 summit.

Racing had little trouble in beating Brive 25-6, while Bordeaux-Begles made it consecutive home wins to start the campaign after backing up their opening victory over Clermont by brushing aside Stade Francais 30-10.

Arguably the performance of the weekend came, however, from La Rochelle, who crushed defending champions Clermont 51-20.

Winger Gabriel Lacroix scored a hat-trick as La Rochelle ran in six tries in a scintillating first half against a Clermont side which had two players yellow-carded.

The high-octane game was effectively decided at 43-6 after 40 minutes, with last season’s regular-season table-toppers in flying form.