Round 21 of the Top 14 brought playoff implications, last-minute drama, and much-needed relief for struggling squads.
Bordeaux snatched victory in Pau with a moment of brilliance from Bielle-Biarrey, while Castres, Lyon, and Toulon tightened their grip on top-six spots with vital wins. La Rochelle and Perpignan ended long droughts, Racing stumbled in Aimé-Giral, and Toulouse held firm in Paris to stay at the summit.
- Pau 22 – 26 Union Bordeaux-Bègles
- Castres 32 – 13 Vannes
- Lyon 32 – 23 Montpellier
- La Rochelle 29 – 28 Bayonne
- Perpignan 28 – 24 Racing 92
- Toulon 31 –24 Clermont
- Stade Français 21 – 27 Toulouse
Here are all the match results and highlights from Round 21:
BIELLE-BIARREY’S MOMENT OF MAGIC FIRES BORDEAUX TO DRAMATIC WIN IN PAU
Pau 22 – 26 Union Bordeaux-Bègles (HT: 9-6)
Union Bordeaux-Bègles kept their Top 14 title push on track with a narrow 26-22 away win over Section Paloise, thanks to a late moment of brilliance from Louis Bielle-Biarrey and a clutch long-range penalty from Matéo Garcia. In a fiercely contested match at Stade du Hameau, Pau led 9-6 at the break behind the boot of Axel Desperes, who stepped up in the absence of Joe Simmonds with four successful penalties. Joey Carbery answered with two of his own for Bordeaux in a stop-start first half dominated by defensive grit and discipline issues. The second half saw the game open up. Sipili Falatea muscled over for UBB’s first try after relentless forward carries, before Desperes and Carbery traded penalties in a tense back-and-forth. Jimi Maximin then gave Pau the lead again with a try from a driving maul, and the hosts thought they had sealed it when Fabien Brau-Boirie crossed the line—only to knock on. That missed opportunity proved costly. Capitalizing on a counterattack, Bielle-Biarrey combined beautifully with Carbery and Uberti to scorch the length of the field for his 10th try of the season, shifting the momentum once more. Desperes had a chance to snatch the win with a late drop goal, but his effort faded just left of the posts. Garcia then landed a monster 53-metre penalty in the dying moments to seal a crucial win for Bordeaux, who remain firmly in the hunt at the top of the table and pile the pressure on leaders Toulouse. Pau, meanwhile, suffer a third straight loss and must regroup quickly ahead of a tough trip to Bayonne.
PAU
- Tries: Maximin (58’)
- Conversions: Desperes (59’)
- Penalties: Desperes (24’, 29’, 39’, 48’, 52’)
UNION BORDEAUX-BÈGLES
- Tries: Falatea (48’), Bielle-Biarrey (68’)
- Conversions: Carbery (49’, 69’)
- Penalties: Carbery (11’, 36’, 55’), Garcia (79’)
CASTRES POWER PAST VANNES IN TORRENTIAL CONDITIONS
Castres 32 – 13 Vannes (HT: 7-6)
Castres Olympique braved brutal weather and executed with precision to claim a crucial 32–13 bonus-point victory over RC Vannes in Round 21 of the Top 14. Played under unrelenting rain and flashes of lightning at Stade Pierre-Fabre, the hosts leaned on their dominant maul and clinical finishing to outmuscle a Vannes side that now faces a tough road in the relegation battle. After a cagey start, Wilfrid Hounkpatin laid the foundation for Castres’ first try with a powerful carry, allowing Adrien Vanverberghe to crash over in the 26th minute. Vannes stayed close thanks to the boot of Maxime Lafage, who kicked two penalties to make it 7-6 at the break. But the second half belonged to the Tarnais. Baptiste Delaporte crossed from a maul early in the half, before a breathtaking coast-to-coast try saw Papali’i break through, link with Botitu, and finish through Le Brun for a 19-6 lead. Although Vannes responded with a maul try by Clément Beziat, Castres immediately struck back with a fourth from Botitu after a slick offload by Fernandez. Le Brun sealed the win with a final penalty on the siren. Castres strengthen their top six ambitions, while Vannes remain in the relegation zone, six points behind Perpignan with five matches to go.
CASTRES
- Tries: Vanverberghe (25’), Delaporte (45’), Le Brun (55’), Botitu (67’)
- Conversions: Fernandez (26’, 45’, 67’)
- Penalties: Fernandez (60’), Le Brun (80’)
VANNES
- Tries: Beziat (64’)
- Conversions: Lafage (65’)
- Penalties: Lafage (8’, 31’)
LYON SEE OFF MONTPELLIER TO CLIMB BACK INTO TOP 6
Lyon 32 – 23 Montpellier (HT: 21-15)
Lyon took a big step toward the Top 14 playoffs with a composed 32–23 home victory over Montpellier in Round 21. The match began in frantic fashion as LOU struck early through Josiah Maraku, finishing a sharp move started by captain Baptiste Couilloud after a Montpellier handling error straight off the kickoff. Despite early pressure, Montpellier responded well, leveling the score through a Hogg penalty before a brilliant coast-to-coast try saw Cobus Reinach cross under the posts following a break by Moustin (7–10). Lyon regrouped and applied pressure through the forwards, resulting in a try for Guillaume Marchand after a powerful surge upfield by Demba Bamba and Quentin Rey. A bizarre moment followed when Leo Berdeu’s conversion was initially missed by the officials, forcing him to retake the kick—successfully. Before halftime, Davit Niniashvili scored Lyon’s third try on the wing after sustained forward pressure, extending the lead to 21–10. However, Montpellier replied on the stroke of halftime through a maul try from Sam Simmonds (21–15). A Finn Russell-style 50:22 by Méliande in the second half helped Lyon apply pressure once more. While his penalty struck the post, a costly error by Ngandebe allowed Couilloud to pounce on the rebound and score his 10th try of the season (29–18). Despite late Montpellier pressure, including a try from Coly, it was too little too late. Lyon held firm to claim five vital points and move provisionally into the top six, while Montpellier missed a golden opportunity to climb higher in the standings.
LYON
- Tries: Maraku (2’), Marchand (28’), Niniashvili (34’), Couilloud (67’)
- Conversions: Berdeu (2’, 28’), Méliande (34’)
- Penalties: Méliande (56’, 73’)
MONTPELLIER
- Tries: Reinach (17’), Simmonds (40’), Coly (79’)
- Conversions: Hogg (18’)
- Penalties: Hogg (13’, 42’)
LA ROCHELLE END WINLESS RUN WITH NARROW WIN OVER BAYONNE
La Rochelle 29 – 28 Bayonne (HT: 16-8)
La Rochelle finally returned to winning ways with a dramatic 29–28 home victory over Bayonne at Stade Marcel-Deflandre, snapping a nine-game winless streak dating back to January 4. In a tense and emotional affair, the Maritimes clung on for their first win in over three months, while Bayonne snatched a valuable losing bonus point to remain in the Top 14’s top four. The hosts started with purpose, energised by their home crowd. Oscar Jegou powered over for the opening try before Antoine Hastoy added the extras and a penalty to give La Rochelle an early 13–3 lead. Despite their dominance, a sloppy moment in transition allowed Guillaume Martocq to capitalize on a loose ball and dive over for Bayonne, cutting the gap to 13–8. A yellow card for Camille Lopez and another Hastoy penalty gave La Rochelle an eight-point cushion at the break. Bayonne came out firing in the second half with Tevita Tatafu’s try bringing the visitors within one. Bayonne kept answering back to stay within touching distance. Eventually, after a sustained period of pressure, Gregory Alldritt crashed over for what proved to be the decisive try. Hastoy’s flawless kicking performance (5/5) and Brice Dulin’s composed exit play helped La Rochelle survive a nervy finish. Will Skelton delivered a crucial final turnover to seal the win and lift a huge weight off the shoulders of Ronan O’Gara’s squad. While not perfect, the result could serve as a turning point in La Rochelle’s season as they fight to stay in the race for the Top 6.
LA ROCHELLE
- Tries: Jegou (8’), Alldritt (70’)
- Conversions: Hastoy (9’, 71’)
- Penalties: Hastoy (15’, 25’, 36’, 46’, 59’)
BAYONNE
- Tries: Martocq 26’), Tatafu (44’), Habel-Küffner (56’)
- Conversions: Tiberghien (45’), Segonds (57’)
- Penalties: Lopez (6’), Tiberghien (53’, 75’)
PERPIGNAN HOLD OFF RACING 92 IN AIMÉ-GIRAL THRILLER
Perpignan 28 – 24 Racing 92 (HT: 9-7)
Perpignan rediscovered their spark in front of a fervent home crowd, edging Racing 92 by 28–24 in a tense Top 14 encounter at Stade Aimé-Giral. Inspired by the flawless boot of Tommaso Allan and a crucial second-half try from Alivereti Duguivalu, USAP secured their first league win since January and climbed out of the relegation zone. Racing, despite a strong push in the final quarter, left with only a losing bonus point. After a scrappy, rain-soaked opening quarter, Allan slotted a penalty to give Perpignan the early edge. Racing struck back with a try from Romain Taofifenua in the 29th minute following a slick pass from Nolann Le Garrec, but Allan responded with two more penalties to give USAP a narrow 9–7 halftime lead. Momentum swung heavily after the break. Racing’s Max Spring conceded an early penalty and Vinaya Habosi was sent to the bin for denying a clear scoring opportunity. Perpignan capitalized immediately as Duguivalu dashed down the sideline for the game’s standout try. Another Allan penalty stretched the lead to 22–7. Racing rallied through a powerful close-range finish by hooker Feleti Kaitu’u, and Le Garrec added a penalty to keep the visitors within touching distance. But Habosi’s return was short-lived as he earned a second yellow—upgraded to red—for a dangerous head clash, leaving Racing with 14 men. USAP extended their lead through another Allan penalty (his sixth from six), but Kaitu’u struck again with his second try, setting up a tense finish. Racing had one final chance to steal victory at the death, but Perpignan forced a critical turnover two metres from their line to seal the win.
PERPIGNAN
- Tries: Duguivalu (51’)
- Conversions: Allan (52’)
- Penalties: Allan (14’, 20’, 36’, 42’, 57’, 62’, 69’)
RACING 92
- Tries: Taofifenua (28’), Kaitu’u (60’, 75’)
- Conversions: Le Garrec (29’, 61’, 76’)
- Penalties: Le Garrec (65’)
TOULON POWER PAST CLERMONT TO STAY IN SEMI-FINAL HUNT
Toulon 31 – 24 Clermont (HT: 31-17)
Toulon delivered a dazzling first-half display to secure a 31–24 win over Clermont at Stade Mayol, bouncing back strongly from their Champions Cup exit to keep their hopes of a Top 14 semi-final spot alive. Despite a late fightback from the visitors, a ruthless burst of three tries in six minutes before halftime proved decisive for the Rouge et Noir. Selevasio Tolofua opened the scoring early after sustained pressure from the Toulon pack, but Clermont responded through Lucas Tauzin, who crossed twice in the corner following sharp phase play. Just as the visitors looked to take control, Toulon turned on the style. Marius Domon sliced through on a counter-attack for a stunning solo score, before Gaël Dréan — the league’s leading try-scorer — danced past his opposite man for Toulon’s third. Moments later, Jérémy Sinzelle capped a thrilling passage of play set up by Domon and Jiuta Wainiqolo to give Toulon a 31–12 lead after just 33 minutes. George Moala clawed one back for Clermont before the break via a driving maul, and Sébastien Bézy darted over early in the second half to close the gap to seven. But the game tightened up considerably in the final half hour, with handling errors and mounting penalties halting Clermont’s momentum. Toulon’s defensive wall held firm in their 22, and any hopes of a Clermont comeback faded after Alivereti Raka was shown a yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Dréan in the 71st minute. Despite missed penalties from Domon and Thomas Ramos’ late replacement Melvyn Jaminet, the hosts secured the win and strengthened their grip on third place.
TOULON
- Tries: Tolofua (5’), Domon (26’), Dréan (30’), Sinzelle (32’)
- Conversions: Biggar (6’, 27’, 31’, 33’)
- Penalties: Biggar (21’)
CLERMONT
- Tries: Tauzin (11’, 18’), Moala (39’), Bézy (46’)
- Conversions: Belleau (19’, 46’)
TOULOUSE GRIND OUT WIN IN PARIS TO EXTEND TOP 14 LEAD
Stade Français 21 – 27 Toulouse (HT: 14-17)
Toulouse consolidated their place atop the Top 14 table with a composed 27–21 away victory over Stade Français in a rain-soaked clash at Stade Jean-Bouin. Despite fielding a rotated lineup, the visitors took early control, racing to a 17–0 lead through tries from Léo Banos and Paul Costes, with Juan Cruz Mallia adding a penalty. Paris, reeling from a disastrous start and a yellow card to Romain Briatte, were handed a lifeline when Santiago Chocobares was also sin-binned. The hosts capitalized as Louis Carbonel and Briatte both crossed to cut the deficit to three at halftime. Stade Français dominated possession early in the second half but failed to score, while Toulouse remained clinical. Mallia slotted another penalty before finishing a clever chip from Saito to extend the lead to 13 points. Sekou Macalou crossed late for Paris on his 30th birthday, but it was too little, too late. Toulouse march on with their winning form, while Stade Français remain locked in a relegation battle, level on points with 13th-placed Perpignan.
STADE FRANÇAIS
- Tries: Carbonel (24’), Briatte (32’), Macalou (77’)
- Conversions: Carbonel (25’, 33’), Henry (78’)
TOULOUSE
- Tries: Banos (3’), Costes (13’), Mallia (64’)
- Conversions: Mallia (3’, 14’, 65’)
- Penalties: Mallia (10’, 57’)
STANDINGS AFTER ROUND 21
With five rounds to go, the playoff race is heating up.
Toulouse remain in command, but teams like Bordeaux, Lyon, Toulon, and Castres are stacking crucial points at the right time. At the other end, Perpignan’s gritty win tightens the relegation battle. Expect more movement next round as title contenders and survival hopefuls fight for every point.
Who impressed you most in Round 21? Drop your thoughts in the comments and let’s talk rugby.
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