DAVID BARNES
FRENCH COLUMN

Hat-trick: Vincent Rattez scored three of La Rochelle’s 12 tries against Bordeaux

Time stood still for heroic Montpellier as they feared a late Clermont try had killed off one of the greatest comebacks the Top 14 had ever seen.
Then a whistle signifying a knock on had their fans jumping for joy.
By beating Clermont 28-27, their team, a rich man’s lauging stock earlier this season, had scraped into the top six with a sensational eighth victory in nine games.
And a 25-16 home defeat by Toulon left Castres, the reigning champions, out for the count...