Nadolo scores hat-trick as Montpellier thrash Brive

Nemani Nadolo scored a hat-trick as Top 14 leaders Montpellier hammered Brive 54-10 and Castres ended a three-match losing streak by beating Clermont Auvergne on Sunday.

Montpellier had their perfect start to the season emphatically brought to an end by Bordeaux-Begles last weekend, but Vern Cotter’s men put that behind them by dishing out an eight-try thrashing at Altrad Stadium.

Nadolo was Brive’s chief tormentor, the big Fijian wing taking a pass from Aaron Cruden to score his first try and intercepting to race away for a second before the break.

Montpellier were out of sight at 33-3 to the good at the interval, Jesse Mogg also going over and Bismarck Du Plessis helping himself to a brace of five-pointers.

The home side were awarded a penalty try following the restart and Fulgence Ouedraogo also scored begore Nadolo completed his treble four minutes from time in a one-sided encounter that put Montpellier two points clear of Lyon.

Castres stopped the rot with a 29-23 defeat of Clermont at Stade Pierre-Fabre.

Benjamin Urdapilleta scored 19 points from the tee and there were tries for Jody Jenneker and Maama Vaipulu in Clermont’s third loss of the season.