Dillyn Leyds scored two tries as La Rochelle shot up the standings in France, while Bok pair Damian de Allende and Lood de Jager stayed unbeaten in Japan.

Top 14:
– Perpignan gave their survival hopes a massive boost by upsetting defending champions Toulouse in a 27-17 win. Marvin Orie played off the bench for Perpignan, who cut the gap on Montpellier to two points. Despite seeing their eight-game winning streak ended, Toulouse remain level with Stade Francais at the top of the table.

– Pau survived an 82-point thriller against Bayonne to stay in the hunt for a playoff place. Uzair Cassiem scored a try for Bayonne in a 42-40 loss that saw them fall five points behind their opponents on the table.

– Cobus Reinach scored his fourth try of the season as Montpellier claimed a vital 10-3 win against Bordeaux. The win saw Montpellier, who also had Nico Janse van Rensburg and Jan Serfontein in their starting lineup, remain narrowly outside the relegation zone. Bordeaux dropped down to fourth place.

– Dillyn Leyds dotted down twice in the first half as La Rochelle beat table-topping Stade Francais 23-3 to climb into third place on the table. Lock JJ van der Mescht and centre Jeremy Ward both started for Stade, who remain in first place, 10 points ahead of La Rochelle.

– Tristan Tedder scored all of his side’s points as Racing 92 ended their five-game losing streak with a 20-6 win over Toulon. Starting at flyhalf, Tedder scored a try and kicked five penalties to keep Racing’s playoff hopes alive as the Parisian side climbed into sixth place.

Japan League One

– Toyota Verblitz bounced back from a heavy loss to Kobe Steelers by beating Kubota Spears 31-27 to hand Frans Ludeke‘s defending champions a second successive defeat. Pieter-Steph du Toit started at No 8 for Verblitz, who leapfrogged the Spears into sixth place on the table. Hooker Schalk Erasmus, lock pair David Bulbring and Ruan Botha and centre Rikus Pretorius all started for the Spears.

– Canon Eagles briefly climbed into fourth place with a comfortable 34-17 win against Blue Revs, who remain without inspirational captain Kwagga Smith. The Eagles had Rohan Janse van Rensburg starting his second game at inside centre, while flank Kobus van Dyk grabbed a try.  Utility back Sylvian Mahuza started at centre for Blue Revs.

– Wild Knights grabbed a crucial win against fellow title challengers Brave Lupus to solidify their position at the top of the table. Lood de Jager and Damian de Allende both started for the Knights, unbeaten after nine games and now five points ahead of Brave Lupus, who suffered a first loss of the season.

Photo: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

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