Toulon returned to winning ways with a crushing 52-8 bonus-point victory over Montpellier in the French Top 14 on Saturday.

While all eyes were on the mercurial Quade Cooper on debut for Toulon, the Australian flyhalf took a back seat as his compatriot Lachie Turner scored a brace, while Fijian wing Joshua Tuisova bagged a hat-trick of tries against a second-string Montpellier side. The visitors conceded further five-pointers to lock Samu Manoa, No 8 Steffon Armitage and replacement Sébastien Tillous-Borde in an eight-try romp.

Agen slumped to a 33-31 defeat against Pau, despite outscoring their opponents four tries to three. Agen flyhalf Burton Francis had a forgettable performance off the kicking tee with three missed conversions.

Zack Holmes kicked three conversions and four penalties as La Rochelle cruised past Oyonnax 38-3. The winners scored three tries early on without conceding any, before flank Afa Amosa crossed in the 80th minute to hand his team a bonus-point win.

Gaëtan Germain inspired Brive to a hard-fought 16-3 victory over Bordeaux. The fullback converted a Guillaume Namy try, while also adding three penalty goals in front of their home fans at the Stade Amédée-Domenech.

Toulouse ran in eight tries to hammer Grenoble 52-12 at the Stade Ernest-Wallon. Flyhalf Toby Flood scored one of their tries and added five conversions, before he was substituted. Grenoble went over for a try either side of the break to get into double figures.

On Sunday, Racing travel to Castres while Stade Français host Clermont in Paris.

Round 8 results:

Toulon 52 Montpellier 8
Pau 33 Agen 31
La Rochelle 38 Oyonnax 3
Brive 16 Bordeaux 3
Toulouse 52 Grenoble 12

Photo: Bertrand Langlois/AFP Photo