The Albany Gazette - Toulouse edge Castres in Top 14 derby

Superstar scrum-half Dupont was one of a host of first-choice players rested by the visitors, who are looking for a historic fifth-straight French title this season.

A penalty from Argentina fly-half Jan Cruz Mallia and a try from winger Matthis Lebel were enough to return the record 25-time champions to the top of the table.

Lock Florent Vanverberghe's converted try by fly-half Louis Le Brun was the hosts' only points and they sit 12th in the table after two wins from the opening five rounds of the campaign.

The away side led 7-0 after a sluggish first half in windy conditions as Mallia slotted a three-pointer before Lebel dived over in the corner just before the break.

Castres' reaction came after the interval as Vanverberghe bundled over but they were unable to find a way through the visitors' side that included a handful of academy members and teenagers.

Earlier, France winger Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang scored twice as Pau held off a second-half comeback from new boys Vannes to win 43-40 and are now second in the standings.

London-born Grandidier-Nkanang, who won Olympic rugby sevens gold with France at the 2024 Paris Games, crossed twice in a dominant opening 40 minutes for Pau, who led 40-14 at the break.

Vannes hit back with four second-half tries but remain winless in the five games since their return to the top-flight.

"We lost the momentum. We were very worried," Grandidier-Nkanang told Canal+.

"We'll retain the fact we managed to resist them, it was a challenge to resist their attack, there are positives to take from the match," he added.

Earlier, France back-rower Cameron Woki also crossed on two occasions as Bordeaux-Begles hammered Lyon 51-28.

Woki made his contributions either side of the half to send the Champions Cup holders to fourth in the table.

Lyon failed with a second-half comeback and sit a spot lower in the standings.

"It's maybe the regret we have from the second-half, conceding tries too easily, it's disconcerting," Bordeaux-Begles scrum-half Maxime Lucu told reporters.

"In the future we have to manage the final 25-30 minutes because there will be matches decided by five or six points," he added.

Elsewhere, veteran Argentina fly-half Benjamin Urdapilleta became French club rugby's leading scorer since a single first division was created in 2001 in Perpignan's heavy 55-25 loss at Racing 92.

The 40-year-old slotted a conversion and two penalties to take his tally to 2,619 points, ahead of ex-Castres full-back Romain Teulet's 2,612.

Former France fly-half Richard Dourthe, who started his career under the old top-flight format, holds the overall record of 3,015 points.

(A.Johnson--TAG)