In a clash that could easily be mistaken for the season finale, Bordeaux Bègles strutted into Loftus Versfeld and strutted out with more than just a win; they made a statement. Overpowering the Vodacom Bulls with a scintillating 46-33 victory in their Investec Champions Cup curtain-raiser, Bordeaux laid down the gauntlet for the rest of the tournament, combining flair with brute force in a 12-try extravaganza.
The match kicked off with the kind of high-octane rugby fans had drooled over in pre-game chatter. Bordeaux, the defending champs, wasted no time. Four minutes in, and Damian Penaud was slicing through Bulls’ defense like a hot knife through butter, celebrating the first try. Matthieu Jalibert, ever reliable, tacked on the conversion, but the Bulls weren’t about to roll over. Sebastian de Klerk fired back, with Handré Pollard leveling the scores soon after.
The first half was an outright try-fest. World Rugby Player of the Year nominee, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, wasn't just content watching from the sidelines; he darted through for a try, with Jalibert's boot restoring Bordeaux’s seven-point lead. But the Bulls, feeding off the home crowd's energy, bulldozed ahead with tries from Reinhardt Ludwig, Akker van der Merwe, Canan Moodie, and Juandré Rudolph, flipping the script to lead 33-22 at halftime.
However, the second half painted a different picture. Discipline—or the lack of it—saw Bulls’ David Kriel and Pollard sin-binned. Bordeaux, seizing the advantage, watched Boris Palu bulldoze over the line. Bielle-Biarrey, with a mix of guile and pace, bagged his second, edging Bordeaux ahead by a whisker as the final quarter loomed.
"How good is this finish from Canan Moodie?"
The Bulls, gasping for air in the final stages, watched helplessly as Jalibert and replacement back Salesi Rayasi sealed the deal for Bordeaux. With this win, Bordeaux not only walked away with the points but also a hefty dose of momentum.
As the dust settles, the Bulls must regroup before their upcoming expedition against Northampton Saints in England. Meanwhile, Bordeaux, with this swaggering display, has firmly placed themselves as the frontrunners in this championship race.
BULLS – Tries: Sebastian de Klerk, Reinhardt Ludwig, Akker van der Merwe, Canan Moodie, Juandré Rudolph. Conversions: Handré Pollard (4).
BORDEAUX BÈGLES – Tries: Damien Penaud, Louis Bielle-Biarrey (2), Maxime Lamothe, Boris Palu, Matthieu Jalibert, Salesi Rayasi. Conversions: Matthieu Jalibert (2), Maxime Lucu (2). Penalty goal: Matthieu Jalibert.
2,193 posts
In a clash that could easily be mistaken for the season finale, Bordeaux Bègles strutted into Loftus Versfeld and strutted out with more than just a win; they made a statement. Overpowering the Vodacom Bulls with a scintillating 46-33 victory in their Investec Champions Cup curtain-raiser, Bordeaux laid down the gauntlet for the rest of the tournament, combining flair with brute force in a 12-try extravaganza.
The match kicked off with the kind of high-octane rugby fans had drooled over in pre-game chatter. Bordeaux, the defending champs, wasted no time. Four minutes in, and Damian Penaud was slicing through Bulls’ defense like a hot knife through butter, celebrating the first try. Matthieu Jalibert, ever reliable, tacked on the conversion, but the Bulls weren’t about to roll over. Sebastian de Klerk fired back, with Handré Pollard leveling the scores soon after.
The first half was an outright try-fest. World Rugby Player of the Year nominee, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, wasn't just content watching from the sidelines; he darted through for a try, with Jalibert's boot restoring Bordeaux’s seven-point lead. But the Bulls, feeding off the home crowd's energy, bulldozed ahead with tries from Reinhardt Ludwig, Akker van der Merwe, Canan Moodie, and Juandré Rudolph, flipping the script to lead 33-22 at halftime.
However, the second half painted a different picture. Discipline—or the lack of it—saw Bulls’ David Kriel and Pollard sin-binned. Bordeaux, seizing the advantage, watched Boris Palu bulldoze over the line. Bielle-Biarrey, with a mix of guile and pace, bagged his second, edging Bordeaux ahead by a whisker as the final quarter loomed.
"How good is this finish from Canan Moodie?"
The Bulls, gasping for air in the final stages, watched helplessly as Jalibert and replacement back Salesi Rayasi sealed the deal for Bordeaux. With this win, Bordeaux not only walked away with the points but also a hefty dose of momentum.
As the dust settles, the Bulls must regroup before their upcoming expedition against Northampton Saints in England. Meanwhile, Bordeaux, with this swaggering display, has firmly placed themselves as the frontrunners in this championship race.
BULLS – Tries: Sebastian de Klerk, Reinhardt Ludwig, Akker van der Merwe, Canan Moodie, Juandré Rudolph. Conversions: Handré Pollard (4).
BORDEAUX BÈGLES – Tries: Damien Penaud, Louis Bielle-Biarrey (2), Maxime Lamothe, Boris Palu, Matthieu Jalibert, Salesi Rayasi. Conversions: Matthieu Jalibert (2), Maxime Lucu (2). Penalty goal: Matthieu Jalibert.