VIDEO. Top 14: why Perpignan's victory over the siren in Castres is bad news for the MHR before moving on to 2024 ?

Les Catalans ont tout gagné, dimanche soir, grâce à leur victoire à Castres. MAXPPP – EMILIE CAYRE

Perpignan est allé s'imposer à Castres grâce à un essai dans les ultimes secondes, dimanche 31 décembre lors du dernier match de la onzième journée de Top 14, un résultat qui n'arrange pas les affaires de Montpellier. 

The Tarnais were undefeated at home in the Top 14 for nine matches and their only defeat in 2023 was against La Rochelle (17-32), on February 17. Beaten for the third time in four matches, the CO misses a great opportunity to get on the podium and remains sixth with two points more than its neighbor Stade Toulousain. 

The ranking of the Top 14 and all the results of the 11th day

Perpignan, for its part, achieved an authentic feat by winning for the first time this season away from home where the Catalans had until then not there took no points in five moves.

This second victory in a row, a first this season, allows USAP to effectively take a five-point lead over the red lantern in Montpellier, while the gap was not only two points before this eleventh day, and this despite the defensive bonus point of the latter in Lyon (20-18).

PERPIGNAN S'IMPOSE SUR LA SIRENE 🚨 😱

L'@usap_officiel remporte son premier match de la saison à l'extérieur grâce à cet essai sur le gong de Veredamu 🔥

La série d'invincibilité de Castres à domicile prend fin ❗️#COUSAP pic.twitter.com/V1E0pWwqBU

— CANAL+ Rugby (@CanalplusRugby) December 31, 2023

Catalan panache

Ideally launched by a personal exploit from their Uruguayan scrum-half Santiago Arata, the Castres nevertheless had the best start to very quickly lead 10-0 (17th). Less dominant, and too undisciplined, the CO gradually let the Sang et Or return to the game, first on a try from Mathieu Acebes (27th) then on a penalty from the Italian international Tommasso Allan (10-10, 34th).

Sanctioned with two successive yellow cards (Chiocci 48th and De la Fuente 58th), the Perpignans then turned their backs before the opener Pierre Popelin, second best director of the Top 14 behind the Palois Joe Simmonds, scored the only points for Castres in the second period (13-10, 67th).

Insufficient to take shelter from the impetuous Catalans who had the panache to play a final penalty in the hand materialized by a strong try from the' winger Tavite Veredamu at the foot of the posts. A winning choice…