5 hours ago
6
Investec Champions Cup semi-final
Bordeaux-Begles: (18) 35
Tries: Samu, Bielle-Biarrey (2), Bochaton, Tameifuna Cons: Jalibert (2) Pens: Jalibert, Lucu
Touloues: (11) 18
Tries: Delibes, Barassi Con: Mallia Pens: Mallia (2)
Bordeaux-Begles set up an Investec Champions Cup final against Northampton as they derailed holders Toulouse in a pulsating match between France's top two sides.
After Saints' incredible win over Leinster on Saturday, the two French rivals delivered another breathless semi-final, with Bordeaux shaking off their nearly-men tag of recent seasons in superb style.
Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 2025 Player of the Six Nations, inspired the win over the tournament favourites and six-time winners with a pair of electric tries at Matmut Atlantique in Bordeaux.
Pete Samu's score for the hosts in the third minute signalled a lightning-fast pace to the game as they took early control, but Toulouse managed to stay in it with tries from Dimitri Delibes and Pierre-Louis Barassi.
But Bordeaux, who were hammered 59-3 by Toulouse in last year's Top 14 final, delivered a coming-of-age win with second-half tries for replacements Pierre Bochaton and Ben Tameifuna.
Reigning champions Toulouse fought tirelessly, but came under constant pressure and missed the creative qualities of the injured Antoine Dupont, Thomas Ramos and Blair Kinghorn.
Both semi-final winners have upset the odds to set up and unexpected final, they will meet in Cardiff on 24 May as Bordeaux go in search of a first star for their shirt.
The blistering tempo of the match was established right from the off, with play moving from wing to wing before Bordeaux fly-half Matthieu Jalibert seared through midfield and offloaded to give the supporting Samu a run-in.
These two sides had 100% win records in the competition this season, playing rugby from the gods at times, and both ensured that style would be upheld as the breathtaking pace continued.
Jalibert and Juan-Cruz Mallia traded penalties before Toulouse found their relentless offloading game to put Delibes in at the corner.
Mallia's penalty gave Toulouse an 11-10 lead, but it was short-lived as Bordeaux full-back Romain Buros carved through the defence out wide and, several phases later, Bielle-Biarrey acrobatically dived over the tryline.
Maxime Lucu's monster penalty from his own half built the hosts' lead to 18-11 at half-time and just 19 seconds after the restart Bielle-Biarrey scored the game's standout try, brilliantly rounding Paul Graou out wide and exchanging passes with Samu before sprinting under the posts.
At 25-11 down Toulouse replacement flanker Anthony Jelonch led the fightback with a bruising carry in his own half, a play that eventually saw Thibaud Flament burst into the 22 and Marko Gazzotti sin-binned for slowing the attack down.
Two powerful scrums from the reigning champions followed and the 14-man defence were unable to stop Barassi cutting back inside to score on 54 minutes.
Replacement Toulouse prop Rodrigue Neti levelled Buros, for which he escaped punishment, but the home crowd had more to cheer minutes later as Bochaton powered over from short range to extend the lead to 30-18.
So often in these situations Uga Mola's side find the answers but the final-quarter composure never came and Bordeaux, roared on by the deafening crowd, delivered the final blow through Tameifuna.
Bordeaux-Begles: Buros; Penaud, Depoortere, Moefana, Bielle-Biarrey; Jalibert, Lucu (capt); Samu, Petti, Diaby, Cazeaux, Coleman, Falatea, Lamothe, Poirot
Replacements: Sa, Perchaud, Tameifuna, Bochaton, Gazzotti, Vergnes-Taillefer, Retiere, Carbery
Toulouse: Mallia; Capuozzo, Barassi, Ahki, Delibes; Ntamack, Graou; Roumat, Willis, Cros, Meafou, Flament, Aldegheri, Marchand (capt), Baille
Replacements: Cramont, Neti, Merkler, Verge, Jelonch, Castro-Ferreira, Saito, Chocobares
Sin-bins: Gazzotti
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
