Biarritz, Montpellier celebrate first wins

Five-time French champions Biarritz clinched their first win of the Top 14 season on Friday with a gritty, forwards-inspired 13-11 victory over Bordeaux-Begles. After one draw and four defeats, two-time European Cup runners-up Biarritz had been 6-0 down at the interval before turning the match around in the second half. They were awarded a penalty try in the 61st-minute and with Jean-Pascal Barraque kicking the conversion, as well as two second-half penalties, Biarritz held on. Fellow strugglers Montpellier, who were Top 14 runners-up last season, also opened their winning account for the season with a 19-6 victory over Toulon, the ambitious club now coached by former  French boss Bernard Laporte. Fijian winger Timoci Nagusa grabbed the only try in the 56th minute with Argentine teammate Martin  Bustos Moyano kicking the other 14 points. Castres went top at least until Saturday, when Clermont put their perfect record on the line against  Toulouse, thanks to an 18-16 win at Lyon, who are now bottom. All of Castres\' points came from the boot with Pierre Barnard successful with five but South African import Rory Kockott putting over the decisive penalty five minutes from time with his team trailing 15-16. Stade Francais maintained their unbeaten home record with a 28-17 win over Brive with captain Julien Dupuy scoring all of his side\'s points from a converted try and seven penalties. It was Stade\'s fourth home win of the season and the perfect response to the 34-8 mauling the Paris giants suffered at the hands of Toulon last weekend. Benjamin Boyet won the battle of the kickers as Bayonne beat Racing Metro 27-23. Fly-half Boyet got the better of opposite number Jonathan Wisniewski with eight penalties, leaving Pierre Berbizier\'s team failing to capitalise on scoring the game\'s only two tries through Fijian duo Josh Matavesi and Virimi Vatakawa in the closing stages.