Stade Francais clinched their seventh win in seven matches with a 34-16 win over Montauban Saturday, but the victory was overshadowed by injuries to Australian winger Mark Gasnier and scrum-half Alexandre Albouy.

Both players now face a fitness battle to recover in time for the French side's European Cup opener against Ulster next weekend.

Rugby league convert Gasnier, making his home debut in the Top 14 championship, suffered an ankle injury trying to catch an up-and-under while Albouy picked up a knee injury.

He limped off after six minutes to be replaced by Noel Oelschig.

Stade were level at 6-6 at the break before running in four tries after the interval through Djibril Camara, who had replaced Gasnier, centre Mathieu Bastareaud, Mathieu Blin and back-row Mauro Bergamasco whose score secured a bonus point.

Stade have an eight-point lead over Toulouse who defeated Castres 28-10 on Friday.

Big-spending Toulon slumped to their fourth defeat of the season as a 37-12 loss at Perpignan sent them to fifth from bottom and piled more pressure on coach Tana Umaga.

Perpignan, who have demonstrated similar ambitions to Toulon by tempting All Black superstar Dan Carter on a six-month deal, moved into third place, 10 points behind Stade Francais.

Perpignan's only regret was not picking up an offensive bonus point. They had been only 9-0 ahead at the break with full-back Jerome Porical kicking three penalties but four tries came their way after the interval.

A penalty try was awarded when the Toulon scrum was penalised on their try-line with Jean-Philippe Granclaude, Julien Candelon and Adrien Plante adding three further scores in the space of eight minutes.

Anthony Giacobazzi and Samoan full-back Orene Ai'i scored Toulon's two tries.

Biarritz ran in six tries, with French centre Damien Traille claiming a brace, in a 46-3 romp over Montpellier while Mont-de-Marsan remain rooted to the foot of the table after their sixth defeat in seven matches courtesy of a 53-11 mauling at Brive.

Former England winger Ben Cohen ran in the first of seven tries after just five minutes while Welsh full-back Barry Davies scored twice and Fijian winger Norman Ligairi grabbing a hat-trick.

English fly-half Andy Goode put in a masterclass with the boot with six penalties, a conversion and one drop goal.

AFP

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