An explosive encounter in France's gunpowder capital saw Saint-Médard and Le Bugue score three tries apiece, the hosts taking the first points of the play-downs by the odd kick in three

Saint-Médard 25 Le Bugue 22: It was first blood to Les Poudriers of Saint-Médard on Sunday, Le Bugue hanging on to a bonus point to stay within a win of safety in Play-Down Pool E.

Le Bugue led 15-13 at half time, ever-reliable full back Morgan Souply scoring his fourth try of the season after just three minutes and Le Bugue's top scorer, Fijian winger Aloisio Butonidualevu, bagging his sixth after an 80-metre dash to make it 15-7 after half an hour. Tom Marks converted Buton's try and added a penalty, but Jean-Baptiste Dion's 17th-minute try and Guillaume Cazelle's two penalties shortly before half time left the visitors only two points ahead at the turn.

Dion scored a second six minutes into the second half to give the hosts the lead for the first time, but it lasted for no more than eight minutes before Souply went on his own 80-metre run to restore les Buguois' advantage.

But winger Benoit Nicot's first try of the season nine minutes from time settled the tie, Le Bugue's sloppy defending proving their downfall as they conceded three tries to a team that had only scored 11 touchdowns in its 14 regular season matches.

Second string: Saint-Médard B 57 Le Bugue B 0

Also in Pool E: Epernay 16 Orthez 29. Epernay's relegation to Federale 2 is confirmed despite their best performance of the season. Le Bugue's next opponents led 13-0 just before half-time, but a try three minutes into injury time and four more after the break meant Orthez avoided the ignominy of being the first team to lose to the Champagne club this season.

Next up: Epernay vs Le Bugue, Stade Paul Chandon, Sunday 7 March. Regular followers of our Federale 1 coverage will know that unlike the wine houses that pepper its town, Epernay are hardly the purveyors of Champagne rugby. In fact, the club's first ever season in Fed1 has been a total disaster, conceding more than 50 points on six occasions and failing to pick up a single bonus point since early November.

Epernay's mainly French squad, accompanied by Georgian brothers Sergo and Gorda Gujaraidze and countrymen Angeli Albebagashvili and Leon Kobiashvili, have leaked 90 tries this season and scored only 14, their points difference of minus-467 being far and away the worst in the whole division.

All of which should give Le Bugue some hope of closing the gap on Pool E's leaders this Sunday, but not a lot has gone to plan this season so we're keeping our own Moet on ice until Federale 1 life is guaranteed for next season.

In the other Pool E match this weekend, leaders Orthez host Saint-Médard.

The news Fed-lines: At the business end of the division, the Trophée Jean-Prat play-offs kicked off in unlikely style, with 11 of the 12 matches being won by the away teams, and the other ending in a draw. Incredibly (if you're into these things), all but two home teams picked up a bonus point, with Limoges' 31-10 win over Aubenas-Vals and Carcassonne's 29-18 win at Bobigny confirming them as two of the favourites in the race for a place in Pro D2.

Our other favourites all won too: Beziers victorious 24-20 at Graulhet, and Tyrosse 23-19 winners at Saint-Etienne. Perigueux's win at Vannes was notable for its sheer old-fashionedness, the visitors scoring the only points a minute into the match and holding on for the 3-0 win despite a contentious disallowed try for the Bretons. They go top of their pool by virtue of the other match, Montlucon vs Marmande, ending in a 17-all draw.

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

The jostling for safety continues in the Play-downs, with Bedarrides and Poitiers facing the drop as soon as this weekend if they don't pull off home wins. Romans could secure Fed1 rugby next season on Sunday with a big win over Morlaas, while Orleans and Dijon can make giant strides towards le maintien with home wins over their repective third-placed rivals Monteux and Mazamet.

Get all the latest Federale 1 Play-down results at ItsRugby.fr

Fédérale 1 Play-Down Pool E: