Edinburgh fall as Bordeaux-Begles advance into Challenge Cup semi-finals
Bordeaux-Begles set up a European Challenge Cup semi-final with Bristol Bears after reaching the last four for the first time in their history with a 23-14 victory over Edinburgh.
The Top 14 team made it two wins and a draw in three games against their European pool rivals this season thanks to a flying start.
The win will give their new signing Ben Lam, who made his debut in the game, the chance to face the team coached by his uncle Pat at Ashton Gate, where Bordeaux’s former player Semi Radradra also plies his trade.
Edinburgh got off to a calamitous start in front of a 1,000 strong crowd at Stade Chaban-Delmas in temperatures that reached 28 degrees.
Fijian number eight Viliami Mata juggled and then dropped the kick-off and scrum-half Charlie Shiel’s clearance kick failed to find touch.
Bordeaux ran the ball back at their visitors and held onto it for a full two minutes. A knock-on eventually dented their hopes of scoring at the first attempt, but the first of their two tries in the opening 40 minutes was still on the board pretty quickly.
Edinburgh centre James Johnstone was brilliant stripped of the ball in a tackle by opposite number Ulupano Seuteni and the Samoan simply passed to Argentine flyer Santiago Cordero and he sprinted 40 metres to score.
Matthieu Jalibert added the extras and the home side, who were last in a European quarter-final as far back as 1997, made the perfect start.
Jaco Van Der Walt then shanked a routine penalty in the sixth minute to add to Edinburgh’s woes and a Shiel knock-on at the edge of the 22 then gave Bordeaux another chance to attack.
Marco Tauleigne picked up at the base of a powerful scrum and drove to within a metre of the line. A quick release allowed Jalibert to offload in a tackle in the shadow of the posts before sending centre Jean-Baptise Dubie over for a try that the outside-half converted.
Jalibert then pushed a 50-metre penalty inches wide and Bordeaux, who were sitting on top of the Top 14 table when it was cancelled last season, looked to be coasting.
But Edinburgh, showing seven changes from the side that had been beaten in the semi-finals of the Guinness PRO14 two weeks earlier, stayed in the fight and to their credit did not concede any more points in the half.
They finally got off the mark with a Van Der Walt penalty in the 31st minute and the South African outside-half cut the gap to eight points with a second penalty six minutes into the second half.
The Frenchmen hit back with penalties either side of a brilliant score in the corner by the visitors’ Damien Hoyland, which was made by fellow wing Darcy Graham.
There was a nervous final 10 minutes for the home side when replacement prop Ben Tameifuna went to the sin-bin and Blair Kinghorn cut the gap to six points.
Ben Botica confirmed the home win with a penalty from in front of the posts with the last kick of the match.
Comments on RugbyPass
The game was a quarter final, not a semi final. Barrett will be here for 6 months, he is no one's replacement at 13. That mantle will most likely ultimately go to Jamie Osborne, though Garry Ringrose has at least 4 more years in him. The long term problem position (in the next 3 years) for Leinster is tighthead prop, though there are a couple of prospects at schools level.
21 Go to commentsSo much for all that hype surrounding the ‘revival’ of Aussie rugby. The Blues were without the likes of regular starters Perofeta, Sullivan, Christie etc… This was a capitulation of the highest order by Australia’s finest. Joe Schmidt definitely has his work cut out for him.
2 Go to commentsYes they can ignore Sotutu. Like Akira Ioane plays OK at Super level but gets lost in tests. Too many chances too many failures.
2 Go to commentsA wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
25 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
37 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
37 Go to comments