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Urdapilleta kicks Castres past Toulouse and 'another step' closer to safety / Photo: © AFP
Urdapilleta kicks Castres past Toulouse and 'another step' closer to safety
Argentina fly-half Benjamin Urdapilleta slotted 14 points as Castres beat French Top 14 leaders Toulouse 27-17 on Saturday to take a step closer to maintaining their place in the league.
The hosts moved seven points clear of the relegation play-off spot with just their third win since December also thanks to full-back and skipper Julien Dumora's double.
After next weekend's break for the Champions and Challenge Cups, Castres face Montpellier, Toulon, Pau, Brive and Perpignan in the run-in.
"It's another step that we've taken today," Dumora said. "There are five more remaining to keep the club up."
Record 21-time champions Toulouse remain at the summit after losing for just a third time this calender year as the Top 14 returned after a two-week break following the end of the Six Nations.
Toulouse chose to rest France Six Nations squad members including Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack before next weekend's Champions Cup last 16 tie with the Bulls.
Urdapilleta, who turned 37 earlier this month, took his side, coached by ex-Ireland lock Jeremy Davidson, to a 6-0 lead after 20 minutes with two penalty goals.
Full-back Melvyn Jaminet, who was an unsued substitute during Les Bleus' win over Wales last Saturday, halved the lead before five-time champions Castres took control.
Dumora kicked a penalty with Urdapilleta off due to a yellow card before Dumora crossed with a minute left of the half.
Urdapilleta, who scored a league record 33 points in one game in 2021, added the extras to make it 19-3 at the break.
Toulouse responded first after the interval as Santiago Chocobares, who was part of the Pumas' training camp in Paris last week unlike Urdapilleta, opened his account for the season.
Despite the quick response, Castres crossed again as Dumora claimed his double with half an hour to play before Urdapilleta was successful with a fourth penalty.
Toulouse winger Matthis Lebel claimed a 77th consolation try for the visitors, whose focus will quickly move to playing the Bulls next Sunday.
Later, Bayonne host Pau at a sold-out 40,000-capacity Reale Arena in San Sebastian.
Second-placed La Rochelle travel to Bordeaux-Begles in front of another full house with 42,000 expected at the town's football ground, the Matmut Atlantique.
On Sunday, third-placed Stade Francais welcome Racing 92 in the Parisian derby.
N. Nilsson--BTZ
