A LATE INTERCEPTION try by winger Stephane Ahmed helped Stade Francais edge a 30-26 victory at Bordeaux-Begles in the French Top 14 on Saturday to move up to second in the table.
Ahmed read an attempted mispass by ex-Ausralia centre Ben Tapuai to perfection to cross for a 75th minute try that Joris Segonds converted to silence the 28,000-plus crowd at Stade Chaban-Delmas.
The Parisians go above Bordeaux-Begles, without six players as they train with France before the start of the Six Nations next week and are just three points behind leaders in local rivals Racing 92, who host Antoine Dupont’s Toulouse on Sunday.
“We knew that they were missing quite a few important players,” Stade Francais’ Kylan Hamdaoui told reporters.
“The goal was to constantly put them under pressure, which we succeeded in doing for the most part and it paid off,” the winger added.
The home side led 21-20 at half-time thanks to tries from Japan No 8 Tevita Tatafu and in-form full-back Romain Buros, Mateo Garcia hitting three penalties and a conversion.
Stade got on the scoreboard with tries from Georgian prop Sergo Abramishvili and in-form South African centre Jeremy Ward with his seventh touchdown of the season, Segonds converting both and also hitting two penalties.
Bordeaux-Begles stretched their lead when Romain Latterrade went over for a third try in the 56th minute, following a third Segonds penalty.
But that was the hosts’ final word as 24-year-old Ahmed snaffled experienced Tapuai’s pass to dot down under the posts, Segonds putting the icing on the cake to break Bordeaux-Begles’ five-match winning streak in the league.
Elsewhere, Bayonne moved seven points clear of the relegation play-off spot beating 13th-placed Oyonnax 21-17, keeping their unbeaten run at their Stade Jean-Dauger home in the league alive, which stretches back to January 2022.
Later, struggling Toulon are eyeing a first win in seven games as they host La Rochelle, with the visitors missing five players away with France including newly-appointed national captain Gregory Alldritt as Dupont sits out the Six Nations to train with Les Bleus’ seven-a-side squad before the Paris Olympic Games.
In the English Premiership, Northampton’s 38-13 demolition of hapless Newcastle cemented their position at the top of the table heading into the Six Nations break.
Although Northampton were without a host of players through international call-ups, they were still able to canter to a valuable home victory on Saturday.
Newcastle have picked up just four points from their 12 league fixtures this season and remain without an away win since November 2022.
Courtney Lawes, Sam Matavesi, Tom James, Ollie Sleightholme and Juarno Augustus scored tries for Northampton, along with a penalty try, while Charlie Savala added three conversions.
Adam Radwan went over for Newcastle’s solitary try with Louie Johnson kicking two penalties and a conversion.
Bristol boss Pat Lam believes the play-off race will go down to the wire after his side enjoyed a remarkable 57-44 win over west country rivals Bath at Ashton Gate.
It was the first time for 22 years that a Premiership game had delivered 100 points or more as Lam’s team prevailed in a match of 14 tries and four yellow cards.
An irresistible first-half performance saw Bristol run in five tries as Will Capon, Joe Batley, AJ MacGinty, Noah Heward and James Williams all breached Bath’s defence, with MacGinty kicking four conversions.
But the home side still had to endure a fraught finale when they had two players sin-binned in quick succession and Bath fought back from 20 points behind to just six adrift.
“We focused on getting our ruck speed right and then playing what was in front of us with no fear,” Bristol rugby director Lam said.
In Saturday’s other game, Saracens powered to a 40-22 victory over Exeter at StoneX Stadium.
Two tries from James Hadfield and 15 points from the boot of Racing 92-bound Owen Farrell saw them pick up maximum points and avenge their 65-10 opening weekend defeat against the same opponents.
