Bordeaux's Top 14 play-off hopes take a hit with French superstar injured

Investec Champions Cup winners Bordeaux-Begles will head into their defining final match of the Top 14 season without France fly-half Matthieu Jalibert.

French outlet RMC Sport have reported that the 27-year-old picked up a calf injury before Bordeaux’s recent league loss to Toulon, despite only being listed as the 24th man following his heroics the week before as his side retained their European crown against Leinster.

This is a damaging blow for Bordeaux, who host ASM Clermont-Auvergne in the final game of the regular Top 14 season, knowing a defeat will likely mean they miss out on the play-off spots in the league.

The losing bonus point at the Stade Mayol for finishing within five points meant Bordeaux have clung onto a place in the top six heading into the final weekend; therefore, a bonus point win against Clermont will guarantee them a place in the Top 14 quarter-finals.

However, Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle are just one point behind, but host a Stade Francais side who are currently in third place and will be chasing a second-place finish, which will secure a semi-final berth.

Fixture

Top 14

Bordeaux

31 - 34

Full-time

Clermont

All Stats and Data

Bordeaux’s visitors Clermont sit just two points behind their upcoming opponents, meaning a victory for the visitors will allow them to jump into the play-off spots, providing one of La Rochelle or fifth-place Racing 92, who host league leaders Toulouse (who may take it easy with the top spot already secure), lose .

In the event of a defeat to Clermont, Bordeaux can still scrape into the top six, but it will require a losing bonus point and for La Rochelle to lose and Racing to lose without a bonus point. Bordeaux would then be level on points with the Parisian outfit, but would sneak ahead of them based on their superior points difference in their head-to-head meetings, with one win apiece.

Despite winning back-to-back European titles, Bordeaux are still searching for their first domestic title of the professional era, and their hopes have been severely dented by the absence of one of the best players on the planet currently.