Clermont go top after breaching Brive fortress

Clermont leapfrogged three arch-rivals to go atop the Top 14 after a hard-fought 26-21 victory over Brive, the latter club's first home loss since September 2014. The two-tries-to-nil result left Clermont on 33 points from 10 games, one ahead of Toulon and Toulouse, with Racing 92 now in fourth (30). Brive snatched a last-gasp defensive bonus point thanks to the unerring boot of full-back Gaetan Germain to move ahead of Bordeaux-Begles into fifth spot. After a second-minute yellow card for Clermont's Portugal flanker Julien Bardy for a late hit on fly-half Matthieu Ugalde, Germain stepped up to kick his first penalty. The full-back saw a second effort moments late drift just wide. But Morgan Parra made no such mistakes in drawing Clermont level with a touchline effort.

Source: AFP