Stade Francais' French fly-half Louis Carbonel
Paris (France) (AFP) - Ill-disciplined Pau retained second spot in the Top 14 table despite a last-gasp 34-32 defeat away to Stade Francais on Saturday.
Louis Carbonel was the winner for the Parisians, sinking a penalty to claim victory three minutes into extra time.
Pau, who notched up four yellow cards in the game, led 18-10 at half-time in front of a 17,000-strong crowd at Stade Jean-Bouin.
But a penalty try two minutes from time and Carbonel’s late penalty were just enough for the home side to come out on top.
Pau picked up a defensive bonus point that leaves them on 65 points, with Stade in third on 63.
Toulouse, who play Clermont on Sunday, lead the standings with 76 points.
In a good day for clubs from the French capital, Racing 92 thumped Montauban 59-10 in a nine-try rout, consigning the league’s bottom club to their 20th loss in 22 matches.
The bonus-point victory consolidated Racing’s spot in the leading six clubs vying for a play-off place.
Toulon and La Rochelle kept within touch of a top-six finish, in eighth and ninth spots, with wins over Bayonne and Perpignan respectively.
Full-back Melvyn Jaminet bagged a 17-point haul to guide Toulon to a convincing 52-26 win over Bayonne, while Nolann Le Garrec broke Perpignan’s hearts with an injury-time penalty to seal a 31-29 win for La Rochelle.
Lyon came from behind to beat Castres 26-21. Bordeaux-Begles host Montpellier in the day’s late game.