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Uhila sees red as La Rochelle beat leaders Clermont

By Peter Thompson
(Steve Bardens/Getty Images)

Loni Uhila was sent off as Top 14 leaders Clermont Auvergne lost 16-12 at La Rochelle and second-placed Lyon beat Racing 92 on Saturday.

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Three Ihaia West penalties gave La Rochelle a 9-0 half-time lead at Stade Marcel-Deflandre, but Damian Penaud’s try just after the break got Clermont on the board.

The 2016-17 champions were reeling 57 minutes in, though, when Uhila was dismissed for a high tackle on Pierre Bourgarit, reducing them to 12 men soon after Peceli Yato and Etienne Falgoux were sin-binned.

A penalty try increased the home side’s lead and although John Ulugia’s score 10 minutes from time gave Clermont hope, they were unable to avoid a second defeat of the season.

Lyon closed the gap to four points with a 19-13 victory at Paris La Defense Arena.

Lionel Beauxis booted 14 points and Liam Gill scored a first-half try, ensuring Simon Zebo’s five-pointer in the second half was not enough for Racing.

Perpignan have now lost seven out of seven after going down 12-9 at Pau, while second-bottom Agen suffered a 10-0 defeat at Toulouse.

Grenoble celebrated only their second triumph of the campaign, Adrien Latorre, Leva Fifita and Etienne Fourcade scoring first-half tries in a 28-25 win over Bordeaux-Begles.

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Bull Shark 1 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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