Dramatic 84th minute try from the brink of defeat gives our Federale 1 favourites a one-point win over their Basque visitors from Saint-Jean-de-Luz

Vannes 24 St-Jean-de-Luz Olympique 23: Whatever happens to RC Vannetais between now and the end of this season, Sebastien Plouvier's exploits in the 84th minute of Saturday's visit by Saint-Jean-de-Luz will live long in the memory. Having lost the lead for the first time when David Chartier converted the Basques' second try five minutes from time, Vannes kept posession way past the 80 minute mark, but when they were turned over and full back Chartier shaped up for a match-ending kick for touch, defeat seemed on the cards.

But what's this...? Chartier's kick stays infield, Vannes full back Juan Gabriel Mistura gathers and flings a pass to Thomas Lebarillier. The veteran outside-half puts a perfectly weighted kick over the scattered SJLO defence, two Bretons are quickest to react and centre Plouvier beats winger Gwenael Duplenne to the ball by a fingernail to steal the win.

Before the thrilling finale, Mistura had set up the opening try of the afternoon just seven minutes in, putting centre Maximiliano Cocetta over for his first try of the season. Lebarillier converted, and made it 10-0 on 13 minutes with his first penalty. But the visitors, lying second in Pool 3, bounced back at once, Thomas Raufaste kicking a penalty and, after fly-half Bruno Ibarburu had missed a drop goal attempt, flanker Xavier Elissalde converting pressure into points by touching down at the end of an attack sparked by Chartier. Raufaste converted and after Vannes soaked up some 10 minutes of pressure from the visitors, the teams changed round at 10 points apiece.

Lebarillier and Bruno Ibarburu kicked a penalty and a drop goal respectively at the start of the second half to make it 13-13 before Vannes pulled clear, Lebarillier adding two more penalties to make it 19-13 going into the last quarter. With 10 minutes to go Chartier punished an offence by Vannes No.8 Juan Manuel Soffredini, and five minutes later the visitors seemed to have nicked all four points when Raufaste grubbered through for replacement scrum-half Vincent Roige to race past two home defenders to score. Chartier converted for a 23-17 lead, but it was his next mis-struck kick that would have the ultimate influence on the result of a thrilling match.

"We won but honestly, today, Saint-Jean-de-Luz were the better team," said a magnanimous Vannes captain Martin Michel. "They deserved it more than we did, but we refused to give up and I'm happy that it was Sebastien Plouvier who scored at the end, it's great for the squad."

SJLO coach Jean-Louis Luneau hinted that his side was robbed on what will be the longest road trip of their regular season. "It's cruel and very hard to swallow," he said. "The team that played the most rugby was also the most penalised. There's a bit of a paradox there."

In an increasingly tight pool, Plouvier's score could prove crucial in 12 games' time. As it is Vannes leap from seventh to third place, a point behind their vanquished opponents but just four ahead of basement club Hagetmau.

Second string: Vannes B inflict the first defeat of the season on the Basques' second-string, winning 19-9 to climb to fifth.

Also in Pool 3: Hagetmau 24 Saint-Medard 17, Langon 18 Colomiers 33, Lavaur 18 Saint-Nazaire 17, Saint-Junien 39 Morlaas 16

Next up: Morlaas vs Vannes, Sunday December 4, Stade des Cordeliers, Morlaas.

Five places will separate these two clubs when they eventually meet in three weeks' time, but in a pool where five points separate second from tenth, that means very little. Both currently enjoy the same 3/3 playing record, but Morlaas languish down in eighth courtesy of three heavy defeats to Colomiers, Saint-Jean-de-Luz and, most recently, Saint-Junien.

Their home form has proved more impressive, with an early 35-30 win over Saint-Nazaire and a tight comeback win over Saint-Medard to their credit as well as a one-point away win at promoted Hagetmau (which to be fair is more than Vannes could manage back in week 1).

Morlaas's four-year stay in Federale 1 has been the epitome of mediocrity, not being bad enough to sink to Fed2 but never troubling the play-offs.

If les Vannetais want to do some sightseeing following the seven-hour, 655km journey, they've come to the wrong place. The town of Morlaas, 12km from Pau on the edge of the Pyrenees, was the capital of the Béarn province from 841 until the 12th century. It's been downhill ever since, to the extent that these days its wikipedia page features the local bus timetable and a picture of the town's refuse dump and a couple of car parks among its significant features.

The news Fed-lines: Wins for the bottom four in Vannes' own Pool 3 turned the table on its head, with Vannes and Lavaur (18-17 winners over Saint-Nazaire courtesy of a 78th minute penalty try) climbing from 7th and 8th to 3rd and 4th respectively. The bottom two stay where they were, but Hagetmau's win over Saint-Medard (full back Julien Langlade kicking all 24 points for the victors) and Saint-Junien's impressive win over Morlaas - Georgia's World Cup fly-half Merab Kvirikashvili making a real impact for the home side - lifted them both to within one win of the play-off zone.

It's effectively any three from nine in that pool, with Colomiers already 11 points ahead of the pack after their sixth win of the season, a five-try, 33-18 victory at Langon. Pool 2 pair Montauban and Bourg-en-Bresse remain the only 100-percenters, Montauban struggling to overcome bottom side Nice 22-16, les Bressans having no such trouble in handing Chateaurenard a four-try, 36-point fanny. They've played a game less thanks to the inclement weather of the last round, but should catch up with pool leaders Montauban after playing their game in hand at Nice in two weeks' time.

The match of the day in the Northern Pool 1 saw Massy hold their lead at the top of the group with a 17-14 win over Parisian neighbours Bobigny. Against expectations, Bobigny dominated the early exchanges, and although Massy led 12-6 at half-time, an Alexandre Pichot penalty and a try for winger Nocentre gave the visitors a lead they were to hold until the dying minutes, centre Jordi Rougé bursting through the defensive line to deny Bobigny a famous derby win. Elsewhere in Pool 1, Frederic Pujo's 82nd minute penalty stole the points for Nevers as they beat mid-table rivals Macon 27-26. Macon's Jeandre Fourie kicked two penalties in the last eight minutes to give the hosts the lead but Pujo's sixth successful kick of the day was enough to give Nevers' disappointing season an overdue leg-up.

Lourdes and Valence d'Agen continued their unbeaten runs in Pool 4. The only points either side has dropped was when they played out a draw earlier in the season, but it was far from plane sailing for les Valenciens, who were trailing 10-0 to visitors Marmande after 23 minutes and who needed two late penalties from ex-Beziers outside half Anthony Tesquet to seal their 25-19 win. Lourdes, in contrast, were never troubled in their six-try, 43-7 defeat of bottom side Mauleon. Limoges kept up with the leaders with a 21-9 win at Riberac, while Oloron's Nicolas Picabea kicked 20 points - including a 79th minute winning penalty - in his side's 25-24 win over Tyrosse.

You can find all the latest Federale 1 results at ItsRugby.fr

Fédérale 1 Pool 3 table: