5 February 2010: Champions outclass Basques to claim third bonus-point win in a row and return to the top of the Top 14

Bayonne 13 Perpignan 30 - Latest league table

All Bayonne's talk of climbing out of the drop zone with a win over Perpignan came to nothing as the champions outclassed the Basques 30-13 at Stade Jean-Dauger.

The rescheduling of the weather-hit fixture on the eve of the Six Nations championship left the Catalans without key players, but it hardly mattered as the visitors scored four tries to one, Christophe Manas bagging the bonus point at the death to take Perpignan back to the top of the Top 14.

In a tight opening, USAP outside-half Nicolas Laharrague was hero and villain within two minutes, kicking the visitors ahead from 48 metres seven minutes in, before his high tackle on Thibault Lacroix led to him spending 10 minutes in the sinbin.

Laharrague's tackle gave Cedric Garcia a chance to tie the scores, and he added a second penalty to make it 6-3 to Bayonne before the Perpignan fly-half returned to the fray. The lead came at a price though, as winger Pepito Elhorga limped off with a thigh injury.

Jerome Porical's 50-metre penalty attempt fell short, but Laharrague's return saw Perpignan regain the lead on their first visit into Bayonne's 22. From an attacking scrum, Henry Tuilagi drew his man, fed to Nicolas Durand who passed to Laharrague. Fresh from his break, the fly-half weighted a diagonal kick for Adrien Planté to score in the corner for an 8-6 lead.

With Perpignan gradually taking control of the game, Porical missed another 50-metre shot before the visitors picked up a second try before the break. Bayonne prop Aretz Iguiniz lost the ball in midfield, and Gerrie Britz launched a counter-attack. Laharrague again made the key move, chipping over the top of the Basque defence for Planté to beat lock Nicolas Lafitte and score his second try.

After the interval, Perpignan turned the screw with their third try, Durand pouncing on a loose ball and passing to Planté. The winger was pulled down before he could claim his hat-trick, but scrum-half Durand - linked with a summer move to Racing-Metro - fed Porical who raced over.

It was 25-6 when Laharrague kicked an easy penalty on 52 minutes, a massive lead that sprung the hosts into life, only for a string of errors to leave them frustratedly tryless. They eventually got off the mark on 62 minutes, Rob Linde winning a line out and hooker Arnaud Heguy bundling over.

As Perpignan attempted to regain their bonus point, tempers flared and props Rodney Blake and Benoit Bourrust joined USAP flanker Jean-Pierre Perez in a crowded sinbin. But despite the extra man, Bayonne continued to waste scoring chances and from an attack deep in their own 22, Bayonne's Sebastien Fauqué fumbled and Manas pounced to regain the bonus point.

It's the third five-pointer in a row for Perpignan and sends them back to the top of the table, level on points with Castres, for the first time since November.

As for Bayonne, they remain in the drop zone, two points behind Bourgoin, who they meet at Stade Pierre-Rajon on February 27 in a crucial relegation tie.