AVIGNON, the surprise package so far this season, stunned champions Albi, posting 22 unanswered second-half points to win 32-14.

The Bisons have improved dramatically under new coach Liam Duffy and their enthusiastic defence rattled an Albi side that was forced into making errors.

The Tigers might have been expected to build on their 14-10 half-time lead, accumulated from tries by 17-year-old winger Mathis Martin-Ramos and halfback Brad Wall and three goals from fullback Robin Brochon. 

But Avignon were having none of it. Following first-half tries from second-row Ishak Mallem and hooker Romain Maris, they turned the game around as Mouad Bida and Corentin Rey exploited the edge for tries.

Then influential Saloty Mendy provided the pass for prop Ayoub Mezyani to touch down under the posts. 

Albi, directionless after the injury to Wall, could not respond. Instead Mendy put front-rower François Dorce-Hantz over, leaving the visitors with not so much as a bonus point. 

After four games, Avignon, tenth last season, remain undefeated.

Carcassonne share the top spot with Avignon after demolishing Lézignan 44-0 in the local derby. 

It was a game notable not only for the Canaries’ dominance but also for the number of yellow and red cards brandished by the referee. 

At one point Carcassonne were down to ten men and Lézignan eleven, ASC’s Jowasa Drodrolagi and FCL’s Mickael Tribillac receiving the heaviest sanctions. 

Carcassonne, with tries from Edenn Rodgers-Smith and winger Germain Rigaud, led 12-0 at the break but freewheeled from then on. 

Morgan Escaré twice skipped through the Lézignan defence, Vincent Albert and Djibryl Dauliac both crashed over and Rigaud grabbed a second with Luc Albert, in the absence of Clément Herrero, converting impeccably.

In the clash of the two reserve sides, St Estève-XIII Catalan picked up their first win of the season at the expense of Toulouse, who last week recorded their first league victory in over 18 months. 

Though Toulouse scored first through loose-forward Paolo Dall’Asta, the Catalans took a commanding 24-10 lead after young winger Timéo Portier posted a treble. 

Toulouse pulled back to 30-22, earning a bonus point, after back-rower Mickael Rouch, who won consecutive championships with Limoux in 2016 and 2017 and has come out of retirement, touched down late in the game.

Limoux crushed a disappointing Villefranche 54-6, leaving the Wolves without a win in four matches. 

The home side rattled up 36 first-half points without reply as fullback Enzo Arnaud raced in for three tries, ex-London and Albi winger Christopher Hellec scored two and new signing from Australia, William Partridge, also stood out, scoring a try and making another for Arnaud. 

In an untidy second half, Villefranche had two players yellow-carded, allowing Hellec to take advantage of numerical superiority and complete his hat-trick.

Pia, with lively hooker Éloi Pélissier leading the way, overwhelmed Villeneuve 46-10. 

Four first-half tries from Les Baroudeurs set the tone, Pélissier twice sending prop Florian Vailhen over, with Ilias Bergal and then Léo Long both going in at the corner and Adrien Saliès landing four goals. 

Villeneuve rallied in the second period and scored tries through Quentin Malbec and Raphael Savar but Pia were too strong, adding four more tries, one of them from ex-Toulouse prop Harrison Hansen, who celebrates his 40th birthday next week.

The league now takes a break for France’s all-or-nothing World Cup qualifier against Jamaica in Albi on Saturday.

Results
Avignon 32 Albi 14
Carcassonne 44 Lézignan 0
Limoux 54 Villefranche 6
Pia 46 Villeneuve 10
St Estève-XIII Catalan 30 Toulouse 22
Bye: St Gaudens

Table
Carcassonne 12 pts
Avignon 12 pts
Albi 9 pts
Limoux 7 pts
Lézignan 7 pts
Pia 6 pts
St Estève-XIII Catalan 5 pts
Toulouse 4 pts
Villeneuve 3 pts
St Gaudens 1 pts
Villefranche 1 pts