Clermont and Stade Francais slumped to shock French Top 14 defeats on Saturday, leaving them locked together with defending champions and new leaders Toulon.
Clermont, who had started the weekend on top, conceded a last-minute try to lose 14-12 at La Rochelle who moved off the bottom.
Stade, meanwhile, lost their first home game of the season when Oyonnax grabbed a 15-13 victory as the mid-table outsiders celebrated a second win in the capital following their 21-17 triumph over Racing Metro in November.
Saturday’s results left Clermont and Stade on 51 points, the same as European champions Toulon who defeated Bayonne 24-17 on Friday.
Australian fly-half Brock James had kicked Clermont into a 12-9 lead and with the clock ticking down, it appeared to be enough.
However, La Rochelle took a quick tap penalty rather than kick for goal and they were rewarded for their positive approach when Italian winger Malietoa Hingano grabbed the game’s only try.
It was the second time this season that Clermont had lost a home game in the last minute — on December 28, Lyon grabbed a try at the death for a 16-13 win.
“It was strangely similar to the match against Lyon,” said Clermont coach Franck Azema.
“I’m unhappy for the players, but this result shows that this championship is complicated for every team.”
Stade went into their game against Oyonnax having won their last two games at their Stade Jean-Bouin home — a 30-6 win over Toulon and 49-13 against Castres.
International scrum-half Jules Plisson had penned a new deal with Stade in midweek but he suffered a horror show with the boot, missing three crucial kicks.
One was a 45-metre attempt which would have secured victory but came back off the posts.
In contrast, Oyonnax fly-half Benjamin Urdapilleta went 100 percent with his five penalties.
– Heart and mind –
Stade at least had the consolation of a losing bonus point helped by Djibril Camara scoring the game’s only try.
Racing are in fourth after edging Lyon 13-11 thanks to a try off a spectacular 60-metre dash by full-back Brice Dulin just before the interval.
Montpellier kept their play-off hopes alive with a 34-24 win over Bordeaux despite playing with 14 men for 60 minutes.
It was their fourth successive home win after seeing off Toulouse twice (Top 14 and European Champions Cup) and Toulon.
Montpellier took victory the hard way, seeing first half injuries picked up by lock forward Tom Donnelly and fly-half Ben Lucas.
Scrum-half Benoit Paillaugue was then red-carded for a dangerous tackle on opposing full-back Sofiane Guitoune after just 20 minutes.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Montpellier claimed victory with two tries from back row Akapusi Qera and Enzo Selponi, who had replaced Lucas.
“It’s a win with the heart and the mind,” said Montpellier captain Fulgence Ouedraogo.
“We had everything against us — injuries, a red card. But we are proud that we played a great match.”
England fly-half Toby Flood scored all of Toulouse’s points in a 13-9 win at 2013 champions Castres who are bottom of the table.
On Friday, Toulon put concerns over an upcoming Steffon Armitage court case for assault to one side to notch up a 24-17 victory over Bayonne.
Star flanker Armitage will appear in court on February 10 over a fight last month in a Toulon restaurant where the team had spent an evening drinking after their side’s victory over Leicester in the European Champions Cup.
“I am not going to talk about it (the Armitage case). I am not the judge and justice will take its course,” said Toulon manager Bernard Laporte, who was happier to discuss the match.
“I am very proud of my team — four games, four wins.”