Six-try Toulouse cement play-off push

PARIS (AFP) –

Toulouse’s flanker Jean Bouilhou (L) vies with Paris flanker Antoine Burban (R) during the French Top 14 rugby union match Toulouse vs Paris on March 24, 2013 at the Ernet Wallon Stadium in Toulouse, southern France. Toulouse consolidated their push for a Top 14 play-off spot with a bonus point 43-16 rout of Stade Francais.

French champions Toulouse consolidated their push for a Top 14 play-off spot with a bonus point 43-16 rout of Stade Francais on Sunday with three of their six tries arriving in a 10-minute, second-half burst.

Yoann Huget (2), Vincent Clerc, Yannick Jauzion, Georgian hooker Jaba Bregvadze and Maxime Medard all grabbed tries as Stade, having hung on at just 10-9 down at the interval, wilted in the second period.

Toulouse, buoyed by the return of their Six Nations internationals, stay third in the table with 69 points, six behind Clermont and eight off pace-setters Toulon.

“It’s good to be working in normal conditions with all the players. During the week, we were surprised at the number of players we had,” said Toulouse forwards coach William Servat.

“Lots of things pleased us today. To qualify in the top four has become a top priority for us because to reach the top two has become complicated with the lead that Toulon and Clermont have over us.”

Toulon were beaten 33-28 by Bayonne on Saturday while Clermont also slumped to defeat in the Basque country, slipping to a 32-28 loss at Biarritz.