Biarritz, level on points with leaders Montauban at the start of the day 10 of Pro D2on Thursday missed out on a chance to move provisionally into the lead in the championship standings by losing to Mont-de-Marsan (33-15). At half-time, thanks to a try from scrum-half Imanol Biscay (13-8), the Biarrots held on to the defensive bonus point that would have taken them to the top of Pro D2. But Montois stepped up a gear on the restart, inflicting a 20-0 defeat on them and taking them out of the bonus point. A 79th-minute try from winger Zach Kibirige made no difference.

In the standingsBiarritz remain stuck on 27 points, the same total as Montauban, who host promoted Nice (15th) on Friday at Sapiac, and Grenoble, who visit neighboring Oyonnax (11th). With 26 points, Provence Rugby (4th) can also aim for the lead if they beat Aurillac (13th). With their fourth win of the season, Mont-de-Marsan, only 13th at the start of the season, have given themselves some breathing space.