30 October 2009: Perpignan 17 Castres 15. Hooker Guilhem Guirado the unlikely hero as Perpignan come back from 12-0 down to beat Castres and return to the top of the Top 14

Two second-half tries for Perpignan saved them from home defeat to league leaders Castres in a thrilling, if not technically proficient, match at Stade Aime-Giral. Latest league table

Castres struck early with two penalties from Romain Teulet, the second a 50-metre effort, before Perpignan really got going. Two USAP attacks into the home 22 ended in forward passes by Tchale-Watchou and replacement flanker Yohan Viavalda. It was another fumble that allowed Castres to race upfield, and early USAP replacement flanker Yohan Viavalda was penalised for holding on to the ball on his own tryline, giving Teulet the chance of a third score, which he took with apparent ease from out wide.

Jerome Porical had a chance to pull back three points for the Catalans after 25 minutes when Castres No.8 Tekori was penalised, but his kick veered to the right of the posts. Three minutes later Maxime Mermoz charged down a hurried clearance kick from Teulet, but the ball bounced unkindly and Mathieu Bourret managed to clear for a five-metre line-out which USAP then went and lost.

Castres were certainly getting the benefit of the referee's doubt. When Marc Andreu ran into Julien Candelon after receiving a pass d'hopital from Cameron McIntyre, Candelon was penalised and from the touchline penalty and to an understandable chorus of Catalan boos, Teulet made it 12-0.

Candelon pulled three points back as the match edged towards half time, his 50-metre penalty, awarded for Tekori's failure to release in the tackle, picking up splinters as it crept over the crossbar.

Castres had the last say in the half when centre Romain Cabannes raced deep into the USAP 22 but there was no support and after a last USAP attack ended with another knock-on, the referee blew for half-time with Castres leading 12-3.

Porical had a chance to close the gap a minute into the second half but his 52-metre kick fell short. The next penalty from the same distance was wisely kicked down to the 22-metre line, but an ambitious Perpignan attack from the line-out ended with another knock-on, and a charge from Nicolas Mas a minute later came to nothing when the ball was turned over and Castres kicked for touch to the 22-metre line.

Viavalda took the line-out ball and the Catalan pack charged downfield. Two metres from the line Castres were judged to have pulled down the maul and M. Rosich awarded a penalty try which Porical duly converted.
Although USAP were dominating posession, the comeback wasn't complete, and Teulet restored a five-point lead with his fifth penalty on 58 minutes when Henry Tuilagi stupidly played the ball on the floor.

And back came Perpignan. Viavalda almost scored in the corner but had his foot in touch when he caught Gavin Hume's crossfield kick, but a minute later the scores were level, replacement hooker Guilhem Guirado breaking from a maul to race over in the corner, landing on his back but getting the nod from the video ref. Porical converted from the touchline to put Perpignan ahead for the first time at 17-15.

Under pressure at their own scrums, Castres' buckling front row conceded a penalty which Porical missed from 40 metres,  but with Perpignan now camped in the Castres half and looking for a once-unlikely bonus point, the visitors appeared to have run out of steam.

In the last 10 minutes the match became a game of aerial ping-pong, but a penalty in Castres' own half allowed them to kick upfield for the line-out and press forward for a drop goal attempt. The pack went through five or six phases before getting into position, and eventually Teulet had a pop from 40 metres but with USAP's defence closing on him, his rushed kick fell five metres short.

Perpignan held on for a two-point win that sees them leapfrog Castres at the top of the table, but more importantly, Castres tenacity and professionalism, particularly in a first half where they forced Perpignan into making mistakes, proves that they are contenders after all.