Former NRL rookie of the year Tasesa Lavea helped send Clermont to the top of the Top 14 standings with a thrilling 16-15 win over Toulouse on Sunday.

Clermont - 10 times beaten finalists in the championship final - were behind for most of the match in Toulouse, the hosts having scored two first-half tries by Shaun Sowerby and France winger Vincent Clerc.

However 15 minutes from time the visitors struck with their only try of the match by Lavea, who burst onto the scene playing five-eighth with Melbourne during the 2000 NRL season.

Toulouse had their chances to win the match but the mercurially gifted Frederic Michalak failed with a last gasp penalty.

Clermont moved top courtesy of a better points difference than previous leaders Castres while a defensive bonus point saw Toulouse move into third also on better points difference above defending champions Perpignan, who have a game in hand.

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