LEADERS Carcassonne held off a spirited fightback by eleven-man Limoux in a fiery derby at the latter’s Stade de l’Aiguille, where the Canaries had not lost since 2022. 

Limoux, with fullback Zac Santo returning and halfback Kauri Aupouri-Puketapu on debut, found themselves 16-4 down following tries by Djibryl Dauliac and Nolan Buttignol and four goals from Lucas Albert.

Carcassonne prop Edenn Rodgers-Smith was yellow carded just before half-time. Immediately after the break the Grizzlies came back through Jamie-Jerry Taulagi and could have closed the gap further if Enzo Arnaud had not dropped the ball with the line beckoning.

Limoux captain Valentin Yesa was dismissed before the hour but his side hit back as William Partridge sent Arnaud over after seizing a loose ball. Christopher Hellec converted to bring the Grizzlies within two points.

Albert stretched the lead with a penalty-goal in an increasingly tense final quarter but Limoux could have clinched it when Aupouri’s delicate chip was collected by Matis Dall’Asta in-goal, however the halfback was ruled offside.

Limoux’s Quentin Garrouste was sinbinned with minutes to go and Carcassonne held on for a close-run 18-14 victory.

St Gaudens are yet to record their first win of the season but on the evidence of their showing at defending champions Albi, it won’t be long coming.

Despite taking a 10-0 lead after 20 minutes, through secondrower Tristan Dupuy and winger Nittim Pedrero with a conversion by Robin Brochon, Albi were made to labour by the tireless Bears.

Building on a 60-metre run by fullback Jérémy Ruffié, Guillaume Gorka touched down for the visitors, who drew level six minutes into the second half when, direct from a scrum, Valentin Dumas kicked downfield for Ruffié to take advantage and score between the posts, Joel Stocks converting.

Less than convincing, Albi had territorial domination but often took the wrong options.

But the strength of centre Clément Tailhades close to the line provided the gamebreaker nine minutes from time. From a rare fluent move along the line, Pedrero went over for his second, with Brochon, who had missed two previous attempts and a penalty-goal effort, landing the two points from the touchline for a deceptively wide 20-12 victory.

Pia, who have four wins from five matches, posted their latest victory at the expense of Toulouse, winning 34-4.

With halfback Hakim Miloudi orchestrating the attack, as well as scoring the first try, Pia led 16-0 at half-time.

Eloi Pelissier, fullback Sam Hill and Adrien Saliès continued the onslaught in the second half while Anthony Munico went over for a late consolation try for Toulouse.

Villeneuve pushed Lézignan hard at the Stade du Moulin and were 24-22 ahead in the last quarter after Thomas Lasvenes’ self-converted try, but two key plays by the home side gave them a 32-24 victory.

First, halfback Jack Wright kicked diagonally for winger Loris Zammut to post his second try and then prop Max Bailey powered through to touch down and seal Lézignan’s fourth win of the season.

Villefranche won for the first time this season, snatching victory over Avignon by 30-22. After starting the season with four straight wins, Avignon have now suffered three defeats in a row.

Villefranche raced to a 22-4 lead before Avignon pulled back to within two points but centre Jérémy Ginestet’s 73rd-minute try, converted by Morgan Andral, sealed the win.

The Super XIII championship takes a break next weekend as France B take on the Koalas, a team made up of Australians playing in France, on Saturday at Stade Albert Domec, Carcassonne.

Results
Albi 20 St Gaudens 12
Lézignan 32 Villeneuve 24
Limoux 14 Carcassonne 18
Toulouse 4 Pia 34
Villefranche 30 Avignon 22
Bye: St Estève-XIII Catalan

Table
Carcassonne 19 pts
Avignon 15 pts
Albi 15 pts
Limoux 14 pts
Lézignan 14 pts
Pia 12 pts
St Estève-XIII Catalan 9 pts
Toulouse 8 pts
Villeneuve 7 pts
Villefranche 5 pts
St Gaudens 4 pts