Macalou double takes Stade Francais back to Top 14 summit

English Woman's Journal - Macalou double takes Stade Francais back to Top 14 summit

SPORTS 02.03.2024

Macalou double takes Stade Francais back to Top 14 summit / Photo: Alain JOCARD - AFP

France back-rower Sekou Macalou scored twice as Stade Francais returned to the summit of the French Top 14 with Saturday's 25-12 win over Pau.

Change text size:

The Parisians had dropped down to second earlier in day after Toulouse hammered Castres 33-6, but Stade Francais return top based on their head-to-head record with the record 22-time champions.

Macalou, omitted from Les Bleus' Six Nations squad due to his early-season form, crossed either side of the break at a rainy Stade Jean-Bouin.

Surprise packages Pau are in the sixth and final play-off place having sent a second team, shorn of ex-New Zealand lock Sam Whitelock, to the capital city.

Toulouse's win was good news for under-fire France head coach Fabien Galthie.

Locks Thibaud Flament and Emmanuel Meafou were unscathed before joining up with Galthie's squad on Sunday having missed the start of the Six Nations with injuries.

"I felt good," Flament told Canal.

"I enjoyed it a lot, it had been a while that I'd been away from the field. It did some good to be back," he added, having been sidelined since early December.

Elsewhere, Montpellier moved 10 points clear of bottom side Oyonnax with a 39-35 win over the side based near the Swiss border.

Former France under-20s flanker Lenni Nouchi scored a hat-trick in the space of 16 minutes for the visitors.

Later on Saturday, Siya Kolisi's struggling Racing 92 head to Bordeaux-Begles looking to avoid a fifth-straight league defeat for the first time since 2012.

On Sunday, Clermont head to La Rochelle and have named Alivereti Raka as captain after the Fijian-born France winger received abuse on social media this week.

R.Sutherland--EWJ

FA Cup Second-Round Draw Confirmed for Non-League and Midlands Clubs

The FA Cup second-round draw has been finalized, setting up crucial ties for non-league teams aiming to reach the third round proper. Several clubs from the Midlands, including Burton Albion and Kidderminster Harriers, have secured their next opponents following recent victories over lower-league opposition.

Panthers expected to begin 2027 NRL season away from new stadium

The new Penrith Stadium is expected to be ready in time for the opening round of the 2027 NRL season, but it’s still likely the Panthers is expected to be on the road for their early matches. There is no delay to the build of the new $309 million venue but there’s a lack of appetite for risk around weather delays through the summer.

Tayyab Arif hits 57 on Pakistan Test debut against Sri Lanka

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (AP) — Tayyab Arif smashed an aggressive half-century on debut and provided a new-look Pakistan lineup a confident start to the first cricket test against Sri Lanka on Monday. The 20-year-old Tayyab struck nine boundaries and a six in his 57-run knock as Pakistan reached 137-2 at lunch on a greenish wicket that lured Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis to bowl first after winning the toss.

English Woman's Journal - Macalou double takes Stade Francais back to Top 14 summit