Bristol reach first European final with extra-time win over Bordeaux
Bristol reached their first European final by staging a stirring fightback to beat Challenge Cup opponents Bordeaux-Begles 37-20 after extra time at Ashton Gate. The English club overcame a 13-point deficit and a yellow card for star centre Semi Radradra against his former club to reach next month’s final, when they will tackle Toulon or Leicester.
But they needed an additional 20 minutes to go through, with substitute centre Piers O’Conor and full-back Max Malins scoring early in the first period of extra-time and breaking Bordeaux’s resistance after it finished 20-20 in 80 minutes.
Captain Steven Luatua and Malins scored tries during normal time, while fly-half Callum Sheedy converted all four tries and kicked three penalties for a 17-point haul. But Bristol, who last made a major final more than 30 years ago in the days of English rugby’s knockout cup, were in trouble for long periods against a Matthieu Jalibert-inspired Bordeaux.
Jalibert scored a try and booted two penalties, and there was also a try for hooker Joseph Dweba, with Maxime Lucu and Ben Botica each adding a conversion.
Bristol centre Siale Piutau returned after a three-match ban, but his brother Charles was sidelined by an achilles injury, so Malins deputised in the No15 shirt and wing Alapati Leiua replaced hamstring injury victim Henry Purdy.
"Radradra, once again causing havoc in Europe!"
From one side to the other @BristolBears get the score they've worked so hard for and we have a cracking game on our hands!#ChampionsCupRugby pic.twitter.com/RHSfMMiJmE
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) September 25, 2020
Bordeaux included wing Ben Lam, nephew of Bristol rugby director Pat Lam, while Lucu, prop Ben Tameifuna and flanker Cameron Woki were called up following last weekend’s quarter-final victory over Edinburgh.
The visitors enjoyed a dominant opening, and they took a richly-deserved lead as Bristol struggled to quell their power and pace. Bordeaux skipper Jefferson Poirot was heavily involved in the build-up and his fellow France international Jalibert finished off impressively, rounding Malins for a superb try that Lucu converted.
Bristol badly needed a spark from somewhere, and scrum-half Harry Randall provided it, breaking clear from a quickly-taken penalty, but Bordeaux defenders managed to haul him down before clearing danger. Both teams were guilty of conceding turnovers at an alarming rate, yet Bordeaux kept their composure in key areas as Bristol struggled for fluency.
Bristol fell further behind when Jalibert kicked two penalties in three minutes, putting his team 13 points clear as the Gallagher Premiership play-off contenders continued to look a distant second-best. But just when Bordeaux looked as they might keep Bristol out for the entire first half, they conceded a try.
Leiua went close and when possession was quickly recycled Radradra cut a decisive attacking line and he sent an unmarked Luatua over to score. Sheedy added the conversion and Bristol were back in contention, albeit with plenty still to do, trailing 13-7 at the interval.
The second period started badly for Bristol, with Radradra sin-binned inside a minute for a swinging arm tackle, although Jalibert then went off nursing what appeared to be a calf muscle injury and was replaced by Botica. Bristol displayed far greater drive and organisation than during the first 40 minutes, and they went ahead with Radradra still off.
Randall’s attacking instincts again surfaced, and his clever kick into space was gathered by Malins, who touched down and Sheedy converted. Bristol were suddenly in the ascendancy, and they further success approaching the hour-mark when Sheedy kicked a penalty from just inside the Bordeaux half.
Another Sheedy penalty suggested Bristol might pull away, but Bordeaux had other ideas as Dwemba powered over from close range and Botica converted to tie things up at 20-20. It set up a thrilling conclusion, and Bordeaux went down to 14 men after suffering an injury and having used all their replacements before extra-time beckoned.
Bristol went up a gear at exactly the right time, marching into the Challenge Cup final in thrilling fashion after what became a survival of the fittest.
This guy right here ?#ChallengeCupRugby pic.twitter.com/ezyN30SyzR
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) September 25, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Pick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
15 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
15 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
15 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
15 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
15 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
15 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
15 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to comments