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Simmonds stars as Pau upset Montpellier / Photo: © AFP
Simmonds stars as Pau upset Montpellier
Joe Simmonds's steady boot helped Pau stun last season's beaten finalists Montpellier 27-19 in their Top 14 opener on Saturday.
The English fly-half kicked three conversions and two penalties as Pau made a statement of intent away from home.
Montpellier made life difficult for themselves as they were reduced to 13 men, with props Baptiste Erdocio and Luka Japaridze yellow-carded inside eight minutes.
But the hosts held their visitors to 10 points during their two-man disadvantage. When captain Yacouba Camara scored a try on 56 minutes, Montpellier went in front for the first time, 19-17.
Simmonds converted a try from Australian full-back Jack Maddocks and then added a penalty to deny their hosts even a losing bonus point.
South African centre Jeremy Ward scored a try as last season's beaten semi-finalists Stade Francais held off a storming second-half comeback to pip Perpignan 28-26.
The game seemed over at half-time as Tanginoa Halaifonua, Ryan Chapuis, Leo Barre and Ward, who went off injured in the second period, all went over for the Parisians.
Lock Adrien Warion pulled one back for the Catalans, and wing Theo Forner added a second as Italy fly-half Paolo Garbisi, a new signing from Toulon, kicked eight points to bring Perpignan within a whisker of a shock victory.
There were also stirring second-half fightbacks from Clermont at Lyon and Vannes at Castres, but like Perpignan, both came up short.
Full-back Gabin Lorre scored two tries as Lyon opened up a 37-10 lead over Clermont after 53 minutes as fly-half Leo Berdeu kicked 17 points.
Replacement back-row forward Kevin Noah also scored a brace and New Zealander AJ Lam crossed after the final hooter with his compatriot Harry Plummer kicking the subsequent conversion to snatch a losing bonus point in a 40-36 reverse.
New Zealander Jack Goodhue scored as Castres romped into a 29-6 lead over Vannes, before the newly-promoted Bretons hit back with two tries to deny their hosts an attacking bonus point in a 29-20 success.
South African fly-half Robert Du Preez's late penalty proved the difference as Bayonne began their campaign with a 27-26 victory over Toulon, as Luka Keletaona then converted Rayan Rebbadj's last-gasp try to earn the visitors a losing bonus point.
M.Bartosz--GL
