LLB and Bordeaux send Leicester Tigers packing with Champions Cup hiding

Salesi Rayasi scored a hat-trick as Bordeaux ran in nine tries and thumped Leicester 64-14 in the Investec Champions Cup at Stade Chaban Delmas.

The first-half rout got under way when Maxime Lucu slotted a sixth-minute penalty and they followed it up with the first of five first-half tries in the 20th minute when Cameron Woki crashed over from close range to make it 10-0.

The floodgates well and truly opened and Bordeaux ran in four tries in the space of 12 minutes before the break, firstly when Rayasi zoomed over the whitewash before Lucu ran in under the posts and further efforts from Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Maxime Lamothe to make it 36-0 at the halfway stage.

Tigers got themselves on the board three minutes into the second period when Izaia Perese ran in under the posts following a careless pass but Ben Tameifuna brushed off the challenge of a few defenders to make sure he restored the hosts’ 36-point advantage.

Tigers showed great spirit in the second half to grab another try, this time Leicester worked it right and substitute Billy Searle walked in the simplest try of the contest.

That was all the joy Leicester had though, and Bordeaux scored three more tries courtesy of two Rayasi efforts which earned him a hat-trick either side of Arthur Retiere’s try, which wrapped up a convincing 50-point victory to book their place in the quarter-finals.

Union Bordeaux Bègles:15. Salesi Rayasi, 14. Pablo Uberti, 13. Damian Penaud, 12. Yoram Moefana, 11. Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 10. Matthieu Jalibert, 9. Maxime Lucu (c), 1. Jefferson Poirot, 2. Maxime Lamothe, 3. Carlü Sadie, 4. Boris Palu, 5. Adam Coleman, 6. Bastien Vergnes-Taillefer, 7. Cameron Woki, 8. Marko Gazzotti
Replacements:

REPLACEMENTS: 16. Gaetan Barlot, 17. Matis Perchaud, 18. Ben Tameifuna, 19. Pierre Bochaton, 20. Temo Matiu, 21. Arthur Retiere, 22. Hugo Reus, 23. Rohan Janse van Rensburg

Leicester Tigers:15. Freddie Steward, 14. Adam Radwan, 13. Izaia Perese, 12. Joe Woodward, 11. Ollie Hassell-Collins, 10. James O’Connor, 9. Jack van Poortvliet, 1. Archie van der Flier, 2. Jamie Blamire, 3. Will Hurd, 4. Hanro Liebenberg (c), 5. Harry Wells, 6. Joaquin Moro, 7. Josh Manz, 8. Olly Cracknell
Replacements:

REPLACEMENTS: 16. Charlie Clare, 17. Tareq Haffar, 18. Ale Loman, 19. Cameron Henderson, 20. Harry Palmer, 21. Tom Whiteley, 22. Billy Searle, 23. Will Wand