21 August 2009: Bayonne 38 Stade Francais 24. Bayonne's big Basque gamble paid off in style as 30,000 spectators enjoyed a thrilling match - and a home win - at San Sebastian's Estadio Anoeta.

After a tight opening 10 minutes, the game came to life with a stunning try for Bayonne's Jean-Baptiste Peyras-Loustalet. Stade fly-half Lionel Beauxis appeared to have cleared his lines with a long kick upfield, only for Basque full-back Peyras to receive the ball on the halfway line, accelerate through the gap and go round the Parisian defence to score in the corner.

Benat Arrayet converted for an early 7-0 lead, which was doubled on 19 minutes when Benjamin Fall chipped the ball over prop David Attoub, saw Beauxis deceived by the bounce and gathered to score a try which Arrayet also converted.

The Bayonne faithful couldn't believe their luck, but soon came back down to earth when James Haskell opened his try-scoring account for Stade Francais two minutes later. Fellow Englishman Tom Palmer took the ball from the maul and freed Haskell, who fed to number 8 Juan Manuel Leguizamon. The Argentian then slipped an exquisite pass out of the tackle to Haskell who crossed. Julien Dupuy converted.

A drop goal and penalty from Beauxis brought the Parisians back to within a point, and they took the lead following a superb try from centre Geoffroy Messina. Haskell's dummy made space on the halfway line, Palmer and Julien Arias continued the movement and Messina sped for the corner only to be tackled on the line. After much consideration, the video referee awarded the try, and with the conversion missed the Parisians took an 18-14 lead.

But there was still more to come in this breathless first period. With the visitors attacking on Bayonne's 22-metre line, the ball was fumbled and centre Lionel Mazars hacked ahead. Fellow centre Sam Gerber followed up with another hack, and winger Fall was first to the ball for his second try to send Basques in 19-18 up.

The second half was an altogether tighter affair, but it was a more confident Bayonne who started the strongest and from a couple of early visits into the Paris half, Arrayet extended Bayonne's lead with 44th and 47th minute penalties. Beauxis hit back with two of his own on 49 and 53 minutes before Arrayet re-established a seven-point lead with two more successful kicks on 56 and 65 minutes.

Bayonne were making all the running and a superb long pass from Craig Gower almost put Fall in for his third try were it not for a last-ditch tackle by Marc Gasnier. Gower himself was flattened by a huge tackle from newly-arrived Paris replacement Mathieu Bastareaud, but the Australian was soon back up and breaking through the Parisian's defence once again only for Fall to fumble at the crucial moment.

With time ticking out and Bayonne leading 31-24, Stade went looking for the try that would give them their second draw of the campaign, but couldn't break through the Basque's tight defence. Arrayet missed his most kickable penalty of the night and a chance to knock the game on the head, but shortly after Fall followed up a chip-and-chase only to knock on as he crossed the line, a Parisian attack broke down and winger Pepito Elhorga hacked the loose ball downfield, followed it up with another well-aimed kick that any Real Sociedad player would be proud of and applied pressure to the ball just ahead of Noel Oelschig's outstretched hand. Cedric Garcia kicked the conversion, the referee blew no-side and the Basque party began.

Afterwards Bayonne coach Richard Dourthe, who had been scathing of his team's profligacy at Perpignan last week, was rather more happy.

"We weren't bad, hey?" he told L'Equipe. "Not everything was so good and there are a few things that weren't quite there tonight but I'm not going to nit-pick. It was a gamble to dare to play a match outside France, and the party wouldn't have been much good without a win."

Bayonne will be hoping to put on a repeat performance on their next visit to San Sebastian when they play Basque rivals Biarritz at the Anoeta on September 11.