Rugby: Kiwis making early impact in French Top 14

20 test All Black Chris Masoe when he played for Toulon. Photo / Getty Images

Chris Masoe is still making an impact in the French Top 14, even at 36 and nearly eight years since the last of his 20 tests for the All Blacks.

Now at his third Top 14 club, Masoe scored a try for ambitious and big-spending Racing-Metro against his immediate past club Toulon to help the Parisians to a 27-22 opening weekend victory over the European champions.

The victory, at Masoe's old home ground of Stade Mayol, was significant in that it was a prized away win, but also that, unusually, no New Zealanders graced the depleted Toulon ranks.

Masoe's try helped Racing-Metro take the lead in the 67th minute. Also in the starting line-up were wing Joe Rokocoko, who has joined from Bayonne, and centre Casey Laulala.

Lock Ross Filipo, another 36-year-old, joins the club only weeks after leading his Hamilton Marist club to the Waikato championship, and just months after he answered an SOS for the injury-hit Chiefs.

Top 14 champions Stade Francais, with former All Black front-rower Aled de Malmanche at loosehead, beat newly promoted Pau 34-18. He marked Chris King in the scrums, while former Maori All Black lock Daniel Ramsay came off the bench to score a try.

Luke McAlister, at first five, and Corey Flynn, at hooker, helped Toulouse to a 24-7 win over Brive. Anthony Tuitavake was at second five as his Montpellier club defeated Oyonnax 35-19. Alaska Taufa, the Tongan international who has played in New Zealand, wore the No 13 jersey for the vanquished, while Piri Weepu entered the fray from the pine.

Grenoble, with former Waikato No 8 Rory Grice and former NZ Sevens rep Nigel Hunt in their ranks, lowered newly promoted Agen 38-23. The latter included former Northland and Blues lock Tom Murday and former Hurricanes loose forwards Api Naikatini.

Bordeaux-Begles, with loose forwards Peter Saili and Hugh Chalmers off the bench, edged Castres 19-16.

The Castres midfield was an interesting mix of Rudi Wulf (13) and Sitiveni Sivivatu (12), while David Smith, another former Toulon player, was on the wing.

Clermont flexed their muscle early with a 44-6 win at La Rochelle. Benson Stanley (12) and Fritz Lee (8) started for the victors, while La Rochelle's Kiwi contingent of lock Romana Graham, hooker Hikairo Forbes and former North Harbour and Counties Manukau wing David Raikuna were left to lick their wounds.

The Aviva Premiership and Guinness PRO12 kick off on the weekend of September 4-6.