French champions Toulouse inflicted the first defeat of the season for ex-NSW Waratahs coach Ewen McKenzie's Stade Francais on Saturday, winning 26-13 at the Stade de France.

Two tries in five minutes of the first-half effectively settled the clash as Clement Poitrenaud crossed and then French international team-mate Yannick Jauzion touched down after great work by Cedric Heymans.

Stade would have got closer had kicker Lionel Beauxis not missed four penalties in the first-half, one from just 15 metres out which came back off the post.

The hosts were also hit early on by outstanding Argentinian back Juan Martin Hernandez having to go off injured.

Stade Francais, who had not lost under former Wallaby McKenzie this season and have added former St George Illawarra centre Mark Gasnier to their backline, still lead Toulouse in the Top 14 standings by four points after eight matches.

McKenzie, who replaced former France scrum-half and captain Fabien Galthie in the summer, was gracious in defeat.

"I think that the better team won, that's all. Our first-half was not good tactically speaking," he said.

Toulouse coach Guy Noves said he welcomed the win but that there was still work to be done.

"We haven't yet quite got the killer instinct of Stade," he said.

"They scored a try on the only occasion they had of scoring while we only scored two of the six chances we had."

Clermont, the team that Toulouse beat in the Championship final last season at the same venue, suffered another defeat in what has been a poor season so far as they lost 30-25 at home to Montauban with Fijian flyer Vilimoni Delasau scoring a try against his former club.

For Clermont, who had not been beaten by Montauban at home since 1958, it was their fourth defeat of the season and against a side they beat in the European Cup only last weekend.

They face Stade Francais next weekend where their coach Vern Cotter will be looking for them not to repeat the errors that cost them dearly against Montauban and in the European Cup a fortnight ago.

Big-spending Toulon slumped to their fifth defeat of the season losing 21-17 at home to Castres.

Sebastien Fauque scored all of Toulon's points with a try, three penalties and a drop goal.

For Castres, Cameron MacIntyre kicked a 70th-minute drop goal to edge his side 18-17 in front with full-back Romain Teulet stretching the advantage with a penalty three minutes from time.

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