Toulon go top in France as Stade slump again
An under-strength Toulon returned to summit of the Top 14 on Saturday with a six-try, 44-15 win over Brive as defending champions Stade Francais slumped to a 33-18 home loss to Grenoble.
European champions Toulon leapfrogged Racing 92 to get to 51 points, three clear of the Paris side, who are in action later Saturday at home to Castres.
Toulon had five players away on international duty in the Six Nations and were also missing winger James O'Connor, struck down by a mystery illness after last week's win over Oyonnax.
But it was the home side who forged ahead with a penalty after five minutes and a penalty try four minutes later for a 10-0 lead.
Brive kept it tight to near half-time at 15-10 in wet, windy conditions with a try in the corner from Fiji winger Benito Masilevu after 19 minutes.
But on the stroke of the break, the Brive defence failed to deal with an up-and-under into their own try zone and Delon Armitage took full advantage by pouncing on a loose ball to touch down for 22-10.
Tries from lock Romain Taofifuena after 50 minutes and Kiwi fly-half Tom Taylor five minutes later put Toulon 39-10 up and ensured an offensive bonus point for the home side.
The home side then completed the job with a sixth try five minutes from time, Drew Mitchell collecting a long crossfield kick from fellow Aussie Quade Cooper to barge his way over.
After the game, Toulon coach Bernard Laporte played down speculation that Australian international back O'Connor had been laid low by a heart problem
"He has an illness. I will not use the words 'heart problem' because I am not a doctor and I don't know that," said Laporte.
"What is certain is that the battery of tests that he underwent were all good. Apparently it is nothing genetic or of the heart. I hope that he will be able to return as soon as possible."
O'Connor was taken to hospital after coming down with the illness last weekend following Toulon's 43-13 win at Oyonnax.
On Friday, O'Connor had tweeted that he had only been tired and had not suffered a heart attack as widely claimed by local media in midweek.
"No heart attack. Hypoglycemia & game/training fatigue All tests very positive," he wrote.
Stade, missing seven players away on Six Nations international duty, suffered their third home loss of the season to a Grenoble side who ran in four tries at the Stade Jean-Bouin.
The champions had led 18-16 at one stage thanks to tries in either half from Julien Arias and Laurent Panis.
But Grenoble fired back with two tries from hooker Arnaud Heguy in the space of six second half minutes and New Zealand back-row forward Rory Grice in the dying moments.
The defeat left Stade 11 points away from the play-off spots.
Clermont are in third place after a bonus point, four-try 44-16 win over Oynanax as they put an end to a run of three home losses.
Former French international scrum-half Morgan Parra kicked 22 of Clermont's points.