Saint-Nazaire's 15 first-half points proves too much for out-of-sorts Bretons, whose second place looks under threat

Vannes 13 Saint-Nazaire 18: Vannes' hopes of doing the double over their neighbours were extinguished in a first half that saw them ship 15 points to Saint-Nazaire and offer nothing in reply.

That they came back to claim a bonus point - and could even have won were it not for three kicks hitting the posts - will be scant reward for the Bretons, who remain in second place in Pool 3 by a solitary point.

Two enforced weeks off did les Vannetais no favours against a Saint-Nazare side fresh from a crushing win over Saint-Junien last weekend. And it showed as they were sluggish throughout the first period, the visitors' Kenyan full back Ted Omondi turning pressure into points when he broke through the weak defence to score the opening try on 19 minutes.

Vannes' running game was still in the changing room when an ill-advised up-and-under from Thomas Lebarillier handed Saint-Nazaire possession from which Argentinian centre (and former Vannetais) Alejandro Krancz was set up to score against his ex-teammates. Yann Dorbeaux missed the conversion to go with his earlier penalty miss, but added three points on the stroke of half-time to give Saint-Nazaire a 15-0 interval lead.

Les Vannetais responded after the break, flanker Francois Bourdrel winning lineout ball for prop Carlos Muzzio to score their first try. Lebarrillier's kick came back off the crossbar, as did his second conversion attempt, earned by scrum-half Thomas Diemunsch's try-scoring break from another attacking line-out.

The hosts could have completed their comeback had winger Jeremy Malzieu hung onto an attempted interception that would have put him under the posts, but he couldn't hold onto the ball. Dorbeaux extended Saint-Nazaire's lead to 18-10 with 10 minutes to go, and Lebarillier must have been thinking black cats and ladders when his penalty hit the post with time ticking away.

He did manage to land three points - earning that losing bonus - with the final kick of the game, but Vannes were left to rue their slow start as the league's form team celebrated their derby victory.

"We lacked concentration and were rushed throughout," said Vannes' Ivorian winger Steeve Sargos. "It's a reminder that nothing has been achieved yet. The qualification race is wide open," he added, disappointedly.

Second string: Vannes 19 Saint-Nazaire 3. We're taking that as an aggregate win.

Also in Pool 3: Saint-Junien 45 Saint-Jean-de-Luz 9, Lavaur 14 Colomiers 9, Saint-Medard 10 Morlaas 15, Hagetmau 26 Langon 3

Next up: Saint-Jean-de-Luz Olympique vs Vannes, Sunday March 4, Stade du Pavillon Bleu, Saint-Jean-de-Luz

It's the longest trip of the round for Vannes, a full 667km down the length of France to the Basque port of Saint-Jean-de-Luz just 12km from the Spanish border.

Sebastien Plouvier stole a late win for Vannes with an 84th minute try when the teams met back in November. Before that match the Basques were second and our Federale 1 favourites down in seventh, but since that win Vannes haven't been out of the top four, while SJLO, to give them their short name, have barely been able to string two wins together.

Their latest outing, a 45-9 defeat at Saint-Junien, marked a season low, and was the first time the Basques had failed to pick up so much as a losing bonus point. Like Vannes' first half this week, they could claim a degree of ring-rustiness after three weeks without a match, and both sides will want to bounce back from disappointment down at le Pavillon Bleu in two weeks' time.

Inconsistency is SJLO's problem and what has kept them resolutely mid-table for the last few Federale 1 seasons. They have already lost at home to Vannes' top-four rivals Colomiers and Lavaur, and their only away win came at newly-promoted Hagetmau in week 2. They are down there with Hagetmau (as well as Lavaur, Morlaas and Langon) in the try-scoring table, and most points come from the boot of full back Jon Iturriria. Winger Paul Marconnié - schooled at Top 14 neighbours Bayonne - leads the try-scoring chart with three, including the late winner in the 26-22 win over Saint-Nazaire in January.

Whatever the result - and with Vannes' current rocky patch and SJLO's unpredictability we're not daring to call it - the Bretons would be advised to have a look round town after their long trip south. Part working port, part pleasure stylish resort, Saint-Jean-de-Luz is steeped in history - King Louis XIV was married in the town's church in 1660, at which time the town was the second largest on the Basque coast - take that, Biarritz!

A lie on the town's wide sandy beach also comes highly recommended as a hangover cure from the boys at Le Rugby Towers. Let's hope les Vannetais need it to shake off the celebrations of another win!

The News Fed-lines: Not with a bang, but with a whimper, the last 100% record in Federale 1 tumbled at Lavaur, where Colomiers lost 9-14 after 11 straight wins. Lavaur scrum-half Jeremy Dioton scored the only try of the match on half-time, Cedric Jalabert adding three penalties to three second-half efforts from Colomiers' South African winger Jeffrey Perkins.

It won't make any difference to Colomiers' march to the Pool 3 title as the group's other teams battle it out for the remaining three play-off spots. Lavaur's win lifted them to fourth but with a game in hand over their nearest rivals, while Saint-Junien bounced back from a heavy defeat at Saint-Nazaire to earn an even heavier, five-try victory over Saint-Jean-de-Luz. Georgian outside-half Merab Kvirikashvili scored 25 points (including a full house and his first try for the club) as they won 45-9.

In Pool 4 leaders Tyrosse fell to a 14-12 defeat at Blagnac, who remain fourth a point ahead of Oloron, 26-13 winners over Mauleon. Lourdes appear to be in need of a miracle if they want to qualify for the play-offs following a 19-7 home defeat to second-placed Limoges.

Massy and Lille continue to run away with Pool 1, the suburban Parisians scoring seven tries in a 49-5 win over Orleans, and the table-topping Belgian borderers beating Bobigny for the first time in six attempts to the tune of 25-10. Fourth placed Montlucon's 17-12 defeat at Dijon could open up an opportunity for Nevers, who are now only two points behind with their postponed visit to struggling Strasbourg in hand.

Montauban bounced back from an 11-18 half-time deficit to beat Castanet 28-26. They stay second and fourth respectively, La Seyne-sur-Mer tucking into third despite struggling to a 29-20 home win over relegation threatened Nimes - 10 points in the final seven minutes saved La Seyne from an ignominious defeat as the teams scored two tries each.

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

Fédérale 1 Pool 3 table: