The Japan Times - Dupont inspires Toulouse to Pau thumping despite sin binning

Scrum-half Dupont set-up tries for prop Dorian Aldegheri and centre Kalvin Gourgues as Toulouse crossed the whitewash nine times at Stade Ernest Wallon, in his last match before the 29-year-old joins up with France's Six Nations squad on Sunday.

There was one sour note for club captain Dupont, though, as he was sent to the sin bin in the second half for a high tackle on opposite number Thomas Souverbie.

The visitors remain second in the table but have just a four-point advantage over third-placed Stade Francais, who stunned Bordeaux-Begles 33-28 earlier in the day.

Dupont was one of 12 France squad members in Toulouse's matchday 23.

One of those was flanker Francois Cros, who made his first start since June.

Players who remain part of the France squad throughout the Six Nations will not play for their clubs again until the end of March, missing three league matches.

Toulouse may have romped to victory, but it was Pau who made the brighter start as Fabien Brau-Boirie opened the scoring after just five minutes for the visitors.

But Dupont sparked the comeback when he threw a lofted pass to Aldegheri to score.

The 2021 World Rugby player of the year ended the half with another assist for midfielder Gourgues, with Toulouse leading 40-15 into the break having plundered six tries.

With Dupont off the field, Pau closed the gap to 40-22 as Brau-Boirie, one six players from his club in the France squad, claimed his second try of the match.

Toulouse made sure of victory crossing another three times in the final quarter of an hour through English flanker Jack Willis, prop Georges-Henri Colombe and back-rower Anthony Jelonch.

- 'Painful' -

Earlier, Bordeaux-Begles head coach Yannick Bru ruled out his side finishing in the top two and securing an automatic place in the semi-finals following the surprise home defeat to Stade Francais.

Bru's Champions Cup holders are seven points behind Pau with 11 rounds of the season to go.

Winger Damian Penaud started for Bru's outfit just days after being one of three big names to be omitted from France's Six Nations squad ahead of the opening match of their title defence on February 5 against Ireland.

The Parisians are third, four points behind Pau, as tries from Fiji winger Peniasi Dakuwaqa, England centre Joe Marchant, Tonga forward Tanginoa Halaifonua, South African midfielder Jeremy Ward and France back-rower Yoan Tanga propelled them to victory.

"I felt that we lacked dynamism and energy," Bru told reporters. "It's painful but we have to accept it.

"We will now lift the weight from our shoulders of saying that we have to be in the top two.

"The top two now, unless we pull off something special or there's a major collapse by our rivals, will not be possible," the former France hooker added.

Elsewhere, centre Gael Fickou, another stalwart dropped from France's Six Nations squad, played 80 minutes as Racing 92 edged Lyon 35-34 thanks to a double from Australia prop Taniela Tupou.

Fiji forward Peceli Yato crossed twice as Perpignan eased past Montauban 31-8 to move seven points clear of their opponents at the bottom of the table, while Castres held on to win 13-10 at Bayonne.

On Sunday, Toulon welcome Montpellier, in a game postponed by 23 hours due to heavy rain, before La Rochelle head to Clermont.

T.Kobayashi--JT