19 February 2010: Biarritz stay in the play-off hunt with 12-6 win over Brive in unambitious encounter

Biarritz 12 Brive 6 - Latest league table

Brive kept their hopes of a play-off place alive with a hard-fought 12-6 home win over Brive.

Three Valetin Courrent penalties and a drop goal by Julien Peyrelongue was enough to see off the visiting Brivistes, for whom two Fabrice Estebanez penalties - one in each half - was enough to pick up a bonus point.

It was a fairly unambitious performance by both sides, not helped by the torrential rain, and it was the visitors who created the better chances, Peyrelongue beating Antonie Claassen to a first-half chip and chase, and, in the dying minutes, centre Jamie Noon being put through by a looping Estebanez pass only to lose the ball five metres short of the tryline.

The result keeps Brive in seventh, a point ahead of Biarritz in the table, but the pair are still four and five points short of the play offs and would both be overhauled by Stade Francais if the Parisians win at Bourgoin on Saturday.