Stade Francais scored a stunning 29-0 win over Toulouse at the Stade de France, completely outplaying the visitors to move into third spot in the Top 14.

In another remarkable publicity coup by Stade Francais owner Max Guazzini, a record 79,793 spectators packed into the Stade de France to watch the game, beating the previous best set in last year's fixture between the two rugby giants who have won the French league 29 times between them.

Argentinian outside-half Juan Martin Hernandez got Stade on the scoreboard with a second-minute 40m drop-goal in rainy conditions.

Hooker Mathieu Blin sent most of the soaked 80,000 fans into raptures in the 11th minute, capitalising on a break by centre Nicolas Jeanjean to cross for a try that was just rewards for the home side's early pressure.

Hernandez then hit three penalties as the Parisian side totally dominated the visitors, who were guilty of some poor line kicking and ball-handling mistakes.

On the stroke of half-time, Stade Francais winger Julien Arias made the most of a clever kick to the corner by scrum-half Jerome Fillol, scooping up the ball and crossing unchallenged for a try, after Toulouse No 8 Finau Maka had lost possession in midfield.

Stade notched up their hat-trick of tries when the imposing figure of centre Mathieu Basteraud powered over from close range in the second-half.

Replacement outside-half Lionel Beauxis hit the extras to establish a 29-0 lead that never looked in danger of being threatened by a toothless Toulouse attack.

Toulouse remain top on 58 points, one ahead of Clermont, who thrashed Montpellier 56-14.

Clermont, led by a fiery display from discarded France scrum-half Pierre Mignoni, overwhelmed a Montpellier side that welcomed back its four recently-blooded internationals, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Louis Picamoles, Julien Tomas and Francois Trinh-Duc).

The visitors scored eight tries, three within the first eight minutes, in their sixth win on the trot.

Castres and Perpignan both scored invaluable wins in the tense race for a top-four play-off berth.

Castres notched up a 21-7 victory over Montauban for their sixth victory in seven games, while Perpignan bagged a bonus point with a 45-7 win over Albi.

"It's a great win and first and foremost a job well carried out since we kept Montauban at a distance," said Castres and France captain Lionel Nallet.

"But we have a very complicated month of April," he added. The bad news for Albi was an ankle injury sustained by France lock Arnaud Mela which team doctors described as serious.

Elsewhere, Bourgoin blanked rock-bottom Auch 36-0 while Dax managed only their third win of the season over Bayonne 11-6.

On Friday, Biarritz bounced back from their surprise defeat last week by beating Brive 10-0 at the Stade Aguilera

The Atlantic coast giants suffered a shock 13-8 defeat at struggling Albi last Sunday but went third in the table courtesy of a second-half penalty try and a subsequent Dimitri Yachvili conversion and penalty.

Struggling Brive, who were without England World Cup winning wing Ben Cohen, could not find a way through the stout home defence.

AFP