Former All Black Byron Kelleher and French flyhalf Frederic Michalak played key roles as champions Toulouse brushed aside fellow title hopefuls Bayonne 32-11 on Friday to stay top of the Top 14 championship.

Michalak, in his third match since his return from playing club rugby in South Africa, put in his most assured performance by kicking five penalties, four in the first half.

Toulouse were up 17-3 at the break taking advantage of the yellow card handed out to Bayonne's South African lock forward Robin Linde in the 26th minute.

While he was off the field, fullback Clement Poitrenaud scored the first of Toulouse's three tries.

After hitting his fifth penalty, Michalak made way for Jean-Baptiste Elissalde who was returning to action for the first time since being injured playing for France against the Pacific Islanders earlier this month.

Scrum-half Kelleher added a second try for Toulouse in the 63rd minute, going in under the posts to make the score 27-6.

Benjamin Lhande reduced the deficit with a 73rd-minute try but Cedric Heymans added a third five-pointer for the champions two minutes from time for his side's seventh win of the season.

Toulouse now have a seven-point lead over Bayonne at the top of the table

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