France T14 - Round 2 part 2

See 'part 1' for the results.

Last week's disappointing home loss to Racing meant that Montpellier really needed to win this week against Grenoble.  However, that was not looking likely early in the second half. The home pack dominated the first half and gave scrum half Benoit Paillaugue the opportunities to kick Montpellier into a nine point lead at half time. Grenoble got back into the game with a Jonathan Wisniewski penalty following an offside call. Alipate Ratini then rampaged down his wing to set up a ruck from which the superbly named Albertus Buckle barrelled over. Wisniewski converted to give the visitors the lead. Ratini was then the beneficiary of a huge overlap to run in try number two; Wisniewski again converting. Montpellier needed to score next and they did following a scrum penalty, replacement Jonathan Pélissié did the necessary. The hosts then drew level when their dominant scrum pushed Grenoble over their line for Alex Tulou to score.
Pélissié missed the conversion and it remained 17 all with the clock ticking down. At the death Charl McLeod slapped the ball out of a ruck on the Grenoble line to hand Montpellier a penalty. Pélissié made no mistake as the hosts sneaked the win.
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At Stade Jean Bouin Stade Français built up a healthy 17-0 lead in the first half against Lyon. Jules Plisson put the hosts on the board with an early penalty befor Digby Ioane notched the first try, Plisson improving the score. Plisson then made the break that led to Stade's second try. He found Ioane, who in turn put Jeremy Sinzelle in for the dcore. Plisson added the extras. Lyon got a try off their own when Ricky Januarie plunged over from a ruck. Although Lachie Munro missed the conversion he did notch a penalty to reduce the deficit. Stade had the last word 8n the first half via another Plisson penalty.
The same player stretched the lead to 20-8 with another penalty after the break.
Lyon then finished the stronger when Lionel Nallet went over from a driving maul. Despite Coenie Basson seeing yellow for punching Lyon continued to press. Deon Fourie bagged a try, which Stephen Brett converted to leave the final score 23-20.
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And so to Toulon's game against La Rochelle, and les Maritimes were on the end of a nine try thrashing. Surprisingly La Rochelle took the lead after Alofa Alofa went over in the corner. But thereafter Toulon, or more specifically,  Matt Giteau took over. The ex Wallaby created the first try for Virgile Bruni, and added a penalty for good measure soon after. Les Maritimes were then holed below the water lines two yellow cards and Toulon cashed in. David Smith and Bastaureaud crossed and Giteau converted the second try. Giteau also scored a try to make it 27-7 at half time.
Two minutes after the break Drew Mitchell set off from inside his own half on a superb run that left defenders in his wake for a great individual try; Giteau added the extras. Worse was to follow for the visitors when Jean-Pascal Barraque's kick was charged down by Smith who gathered and scored. Delon Armitage added try number seven before Barraque partly redeemed himself with a try for La Rochelle. Damien Cler grabbed a third try for the visitors but Toulon had the last word. Chris Masoe and James O'Connor ran in tries eight and nine to complete the rout.
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After round two the usual heavyweights of Toulon,  Toulouse and Clermont form the top three followed by Bordeaux Bègles and Stade Français. A number of teams benefited from starting with two home games. Castres find themselves in 13 place after two away defeats.

Some good stuff played in round two. Grenoble looked to have made three great signings with McLeod, Aplone and Wisniewski, their back line continues to look great in open play.
Lyon look like no mugs, although Stade really need to learn to close out games, given how strong their scrum is with Slimani able to best most loose heads in the T14.
Clermont potentially look stronger than last season with Lopez looking to provide genuine competition at stand off and Jonathan Davies adding to an already stellar midfield: Fofana, Davies , Rougerie and Stanley is quite a quartet of centres to have. With Lee Byrne returning to Wales Jean Marcel Buttin has a chance to establish himself as first choice 15 and push for a return to French colours.

Although Brice Dulin looked on great form, at 15,  for Racing Metro against Bordeaux. Dulin and former Castres team mate Antoinee Claassen look like great acquisitions for the big spending Parisian club and also look like huge losses for a fairly lack lustre Castres, who succumbed to a heavy defeat away at Toulouse.

The arrival of Corey Flynn will have been warmly welcomed by their fans as a lack of  any lineout accuracy was one of the rouge et noir failings last season.
Also nice to see Bayonne bounce back with a good win after a poor display against Toulon in R1.
looking forward to round three already!