17-05-2025
Dulin returns to La Rochelle starting line-up, Jailbert leads Bordeaux as they defeat Castres
France international fullback Brice Dulin returns after a month out as Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle look to record their fourth win in a row and ramp up a play-off challenge that looked increasingly unlikely as their 105-day winless run dragged on.
Dulin, whose five-year stint at Stade Marcel Deflandre is entering its final weeks as he weighs up retirement or a possible move to relegated Nationale side Nice, starts at fullback against almost equally unlikely top-six rivals Montpellier on Sunday night.
O'Gara and his staff have rejigged the front row, with Thierry Paiva and Tolu Latu packing down to the left of Uini Atonio, while Matthias Haddad returns to the backrow for Oscar Jegou, who suffered a potentially season-ending hand injury in training this week. Midweek rumours that Jonathan Danty was being prepped to play a flanker's role proved inaccurate after he was named as one of two backs on the bench.
Another end-of-career France international 15, Vannes-bound Anthony Bouthier, keeps his place at 10 for Montpellier, after a thoroughly impressive performance in the 46-27 win over Bordeaux at the GGL last Sunday.
Bouthier stepped into the breach after Stuart Hogg – who had played out of position for much of the season – suffered an achilles injury at the end of April that will keep him on the sidelines for several months. France U20 fly-half Hugo Reus, who left La Rochelle for Montpellier in search of playing time in early February, is on the bench.
Earlier, Castres' head coach Xavier Sadourny had only praise for Bordeaux's Matthieu Jalibert, who was in magical form as Bordeaux warmed up for next Saturday's Champions Cup final against Northampton with a 34-29 win at Stade Chaban Delmas.
The visitors, still hurting from the death of Josaia Raisuqe in a collision at a level crossing, had raced into a 14-0 lead before Jalibert inspired his side to score 29 unanswered points – including a trio of highlight-reel tries – before the end of the first half.
Another Bordeaux try six minutes into the second period threatened a walkover win, but the visitors fought back with two tries in the last quarter, and were pushing for an improbable win when the final whistle went.
Toulon's top-two challenge is faltering. They slipped to a third defeat on the bounce, a second-half comeback not enough to overturn a 20-point first half deficit as they lost 25-21 at Pau.
Just four points separates fourth from 11th after Saturday's matches. There's another surprise contender for the play-offs in the shape of Patrice Collazo's Racing 92, on 51 league points after picking up a surprise 35-37 win against a strangely out-of-sorts Toulouse at Stade Ernest Wallon.
But then, there's a definitive nine-point gap to the bottom three. It's survival or bust for the trio at the foot of the table, now.
Paul Gustard's Stade Francais climbed out of the relegation spots in dramatic fashion, coming back from 17-0 down at the end of the first quarter against Challenge Cup finalists Lyon to win 31-30 courtesy of a 78th-minute Zack Holmes penalty.
Leo Berdeu then fired a drop-goal attempt just wide to give the Parisiens their first win since March, and the merest sliver of breathing space at the bottom of the table.
It was another case of so near, so far for Vannes, who led 19-25 at Bayonne at the end of the first half – only to end up on the wrong end of a 10-try 38-32 defeat that keeps them rooted to the bottom of the table.
They're four points behind Perpignan, who slipped back into the bottom two after a 31-13 loss at Clermont.
