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Clermont consolidated their place at the top of the French Top 14 standings with a 40-8 rout of winless Albi.

Clermont, who lost in last season's final play-off to Perpignan, notched up six tries through South African hooker Willie Wepener, wingers Julien Malzieu (pictured) and Napolioni Nalaga, backrowers Julien Bardy and Julien Bonnaire, and full-back Brent Russell.

Brock James hit four conversions, with Malzieu adding a final-minute effort.

Albi, who were promoted this season but have failed to win one of their six games so far, scored a consolation five-pointer through Benjamin Lapeyre with Kiwi outside-half Blair Stewart kicking a penalty.

"It's greatly satisfying to see that players who haven't had much game time or who are coming back from injuries showing that they're there," said Clermont coach Vern Cotter.

Bonnaire, who was returning to action for the first time since early June, "had a great match", Cotter said.

"I didn't feel any pain," said Bonnaire. "It was only the pace of the game that was difficult. but that will come back bit-by-bit.

"Next week we travel to Perpignan and we'll go feeling relaxed, to enjoy ourselves. It's not a case of revenge for the final. It's a new season, another match."

Biarritz jumped up to third place with a narrow 15-12 win over Brive in a game that saw four yellow cards.

Biarritz outside-half Valentin Courrent won the battle of the boot, hitting four penalties and a drop-goal to Brive's Luciano 0rquera three, with Fijian winger Viliame Waqaseduadua also claiming a rare drop-goal.

In Paris, the new coaching staff at Stade Francais were able to celebrate a second victory since taking the reins, recording a bonus-point 20-6 win over Bourgoin.

Stade coach Jacques Delmas, who with Didier Faugeron was brought in to replace Ewen McKenzie and Christophe Dominci, said his team were a little lethargic but added that it was perhaps down to the overwhelming demands of the new coaching staff.

"Next week, we'll try to work less on the training pitch to find a bit of juice," Delmas said.

"We the coaches are maybe a little at fault. We wanted to open up so many avenues of play at the same time, the players perhaps left a little of their energy at training during the week."

Bourgoin were in the running for most of the match, finally conceding a third Parisian try when Mathieu Bastareaud crashed over in the 72nd minute for his first five-pointer since his return to action after his ignominious fall from grace with the France squad during their New Zealand tour in the summer.

Bourgoin, who recently beat reigning champions Perpignan, were only 8-3 down at the interval, a Mirco Bergamasco try cancelling out an early drop-goal by Alberto di Bernando, who had an otherwise off day with the boot stepping in for Benjamin Boyet.

Winger Julien Arias also scored a try, with South African scrum-half Noel Oelschig hitting a penalty and one conversion, Di Bernardo notching up an early second-half penalty for the visitors.

"To win away you have to do more than that, especially in Paris," said Bourgoin coach Eric Catinot, defending his decision to rotate his squad.

"Since the start of the season, we've practically always started with the same line-up. Today we wanted to give some guys the chance to start a match so they can show us something."

AFP