Paris (AFP) - Pau moved back up to second in the Top 14 with a 53-33 win over La Rochelle on Sunday after the visitors lost fly-half Antoine Hastoy to the fastest ever red card in the competition.

The former Pau stand-off was shown a straight red after just 34 seconds when he won the ball in the air but planted the studs of his right boot into the head of wing Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang, who was left bleeding, as he landed.

La Rochelle coach Ronan O’Gara came on to the field to protest but was ushered away by referee Jeremy Rozier.

However, the Irish coach was later shown a red card in the 57th minute when his off-field comments again reached the ear of the referee.

“A start like that is difficult to digest, to understand,” said O’Gara after the game.

“But with a little hindsight, I understand the logic behind the ‘kung fu fighting’: the studs in the opponent’s head.

“It’s hard to believe that there was any intention to hurt the opponent. The referee saw blood, and blood is what decides everything. Are there mitigating circumstances? Yes, I think so.”

The former Ireland fly-half, who has been in previous trouble with the French league over comments he has made about referees, also played down his own red card.

“It’s the job of the fourth and fifth officials to pass the message on to the referee,” he said.

“I contested a decision. I have to accept that.”

- Game La Rochelle -

Pau capitalised on the one-man advantage by running in eight tries to La Rochelle’s five to claim the attacking bonus point which leaves them just two points behind Toulouse at the top of the table after 11 rounds.

Teenage centre Fabien Brau-Boirie was the first to cross the paint in the fourth minute and there were further tries in the first half from wing Gregoire Arfeuil and Argentina hooker Julian Montoya.

La Rochelle responded gamely with tries from Ulupano Seuteni and Jules Favre as Pau took a 20-14 lead into the break.

The second half opened with a try from Grandidier-Nkanang and further scores from Thomas Laclayat, Beka Gorgodze, Youri Delhommel and a second for Brau-Boirie secured the points.

Favre made it a double for La Rochelle and there were further tries from Aleksandre Kuntelia and former Springbok full-back Dillyn Leyds.

Saturday’s action was dominated by the return to action of France captain Antoine Dupoint who made his first appearance since suffering a serious knee injury in the Six Nations game against Ireland on March 8.

The 29-year-old Olympic gold medallist in Rugby Sevens came on as a replacement 10 minutes into the second half and quickly showed glimpses of his brilliant best.

A charge into the Racing 22 with a quickly-taken tap-penalty and a deft chip over a flat defence put Matthis Lebel in for his second try as Toulouse cruised to a 48-24 bonus-point victory.