Stade Français, back to competition three weeks after their last match, moved away from the Top 14 relegation zone by dominating Perpignan 27 to 17 on Saturday at the Jean Bouin stadium in Paris, on Matchday 14.
This second consecutive victory in the league, one month after a stunning success in front of La Rochelle (25-20), allows the Parisians to climb to 8th provisional place, four points behind the last play-off place, occupied by Lyon, which hosts the Racing 92 Sunday (9:05 p.m.). The promoted Perpignan (13th) can fall to last place in the event of victory for Biarritz (14th) on Sunday at the leader Bordeaux-Bègles (4:00 p.m.).
Affected by many cases of Covid-19, the Parisians had not set foot on the turf in competition since December 12 and a defeat to Connacht (36-9) in the Champions Cup. Two matches (Toulouse and Bristol) had been postponed in the middle of December.
Jaminet’s private USAP
Faced with a bloodless Perpignan team, deprived of many players including the back of the France team Melvyn Jaminet, the Pink Soldiers did not always seduce in front of their audience, few in number on this first day of 2022, but were able to do shows effectiveness in the USAP in-goal.
Fijian international center Waisea embodied this realism by scoring a brace (23rd, 54th), bringing their total of tries to six since the start of the season. His teammate, the opening half Joris Segonds, author of 17 points including four penalties (11th, 35th, 40th, 71st), greatly contributed to the sixth success of Gonzalo Quesada’s men.
Usap limited the damage without succeeding in snatching the point of the defensive bonus, thanks in particular to two transformed tries from Dubois (28) and Lotrian (67). The Stade Français will move to Castres (5th) on January 8 to continue to get closer to the barrage places.