Fine day for Webb turns sour in the end
It all started so well for Rhys Webb after Wales warmed his heart with a wonderful Grand Slam. Denied a place in their line-up by his move to Toulon, scrum-half Webb scored a brilliant first-half try at home to Montpellier.
And his chosen exile, made more lonely by the return earlier this year of his partner and family to Wales, took on a rosier hue.
A smart combination between Fijian brothers Filipo Nakosi and Josua Tuisova gave Webb the opening to go over. So helping Toulon to a 12-0 lead after an earlier try from South African prop Marcel van der Maewe.
That, though, was about as good as it got for Toulon who found Montpellier too strong by 21-18 in the end.
Both clubs have been desperately disappointing, actually being evicted together from the Champions League Cup they shared.
Montpellier have been so troubled – just one win in five previous games – that the job of team boss Vern Cotter has been a lively topic. This win is timely for him, though word was his players had spoken up for him during internal crisis talks.
A try from their centre Vincent Martin had reduced their deficit before his team took over in the second half. South African hooker Bismarck du Plessis kept the comeback going by carrrying the ball over behind a maul.
And Toulon No.8 Charles Ollivon, making his long-awaited comeback from injury only through the lastminute withdrawal of Raphael Lakafia, was yellow-carded at a critical moment. That gave Montpellier winger Yvan Reilhac the chance to seal victory with a try seconds after that dismissal.
One of the coaches being touted to support or even replace Cotter is former France full-back Xavier Garbajosa, now with La Rochelle.
Having replaced Patrice Collazo, who has since moved to Toulon, at the head of the team, he seemed disappointed to be down-graded by the arrival in mid-season of Kiwi Jono Gibbes. He denied reports of an imminent move to Montpellier while claiming he had a fine relationship with Gibbes.
Whether it will survive a total collapse of the team is another matter. Especially after a 19-5 defeat at Agen, more intent on survival than trophies.
You might say they deserve one, though, for their continued resilience in defying gravity. Especially because Grenoble’s 16-34 defeat at home to Racing gives Agen a cushion against relegation.
Four penalties – three from Aussie fly-half Jake McIntyre and another from his promising young replacement Leo Berdeu laid the groundwork and a try from full-back Mathieu Lamoulie helped them to a formidable 19-0 lead.
A nice way to celebrate their nomination as the best youth academy in the country and the announcement of a new £20m stadium.
La Rochelle, now in freefall, could muster only a late try from substitute winger Vincent Rattez before going down 19-7. So losing their fourth place to Racing and coming under threat from Castres who beat bottom club Perpignan 36-17.
Champions Castres look ready to give team boss Christophe Urios a rousing farewell before his imminent move to Bordeaux-Begles, who saw off Stade Francais in the late game.
Castres made it six wins in a row against a Perpignan club riven by boardroom conflict and resigned to their return to Division Two.
Argentine fly-half Benjamin Urdapilleta, the loyal lieutenant to Urios both at Oyonnax and Castres, started and finished the try-scoring with the first in two minutes and the last close to the end.
That one secured a bonus point after Grenoble, playing an expansive game despite their plight, had hit back through tries from scrum-half David Mele and winger Jean-Bernard Pujol.
The result, though, was never in doubt with more early Castres tries from centre Yann David and winger Robert Ebersohn and, not long after the restart, substitute hooker MarcAntoine Rallier.
Castres have the momentum at the right time in the season and no-one can rule out their chance of achieving a fantastic repeat of their title.
Racing, too, are in the mix and you can be sure national manager Jacques
“Pau have revealed they will not renew the contract of English forward Steffon Armitage”
Brunel will have a close eye on winger Teddy Thomas before naming his World Cup squad. He scored two of Racing’s four tries to bring his personal total to six in just seven starts in a season curtailed by injury. The others came from centres Virimi Vakatawa and Henry Chavancy.
Grenoble, who grabbed one through Kiwi winger Lolagi Visinia, at least have their spirit to console them on the way down to a renewed promotion push.
Legendary All Black Dan Carter, whose move to Racing was stopped by a medical revealing a neck injury, has decided to have an operation to allow him to play for his Japanese club Kobe after the World Cup.
Pau, who visit Clermont today, have revealed they will not renew the contract of Steffon Armitage.
Toulouse, who meet Lyon in a topthree encounter, have been giving a trial to Jeff Williams, the former Bath and England 7’s back who had been playing for third-tier club Rodez.