Seventy days after Toulouse lifted the Boucliers de Brennus for the first time in nine years, the new Top 14 season kicked off with high drama at Stade Pierre- Fabre, where Castres edged Montpellier by the narrowest of margins, 26-25.
Former All Blacks flyhalf Aaron Cruden squandered an after-thehooter conversion effort after wing Timoci Nagusa had given them a bright start. The powerhouse Fijian crossed after only seven minutes to give Montpellier the lead. Cruden, now in the final year of his contract, stepped up for the conversion and found his range.
Montpellier were lucky not to be red...