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Investec Champions Cup semi-final
Bordeaux-Begles (24) 38
Tries: Gazzotti, Bielle-Biarrey, Lucu, Tameifuna, Matiu Cons: Lucu 5 Pen: Lucu
Bath (12) 26
Tries: Muir 2, Hennessey, Carr-Smith Cons: Russell 3
Bath were outgunned by Bordeaux-Begles on France’s Atlantic coast in the English side’s first top-tier European semi-final in 20 years.
Billed pre-game as Bordeaux’s organised chaos versus Bath’s structured efficiency, the French side’s style prevailed as their visitors were eventually worn down by the game’s relentless pace.
At the sold-out 42,000-seater Stade Atlantique Bordeaux Metropole, the Champions Cup holders delivered a blistering first half with tries for Marko Gazzotti, Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Maxime Lucu.
Prem champions Bath were always underdogs but went blow for blow for the opening half hour, wing Will Muir twice getting on the scoresheet.
In a game of international quality the key match-ups were everywhere – Bielle-Biarrey v Henry Arundell, Matthieu Jalibert v Finn Russell – but it was young centre Louie Hennessey who got Bath’s third try at the beginning of the second half.
From there Bordeaux took over, with 23 stone-plus substitute Ben Tameifuna powering over to exert control on the scoreboard and Temo Matiu putting the result beyond the Prem side, despite Tom Carr-Smith’s late consolation.
Bath’s wait for another trophy in this competition will stretch to 29 years, while reigning champions Bordeaux earn the chance to go back-to-back against Leinster in three weeks’ time.
Muir keeps Bath in the fight
Rex FeaturesBath will have craved a steady start but delivered anything but. Alfie Barbeary – one of five Champions Cup player of the year contenders – failed to catch the kick-off and within two minutes Damian Penaud made a searing outside break and Gazzotti barrelled over.
Two superb kicks helped Bath get on to the scoreboard, as Russell’s cross-field gained territory and Ben Spencer’s chip to the wing found an unmarked Muir over the tryline.
Roared on by the home crowd Bordeaux came again, kicking to the corner and then spreading the ball to the other wing for Bielle-Biarrey to dive in unopposed.
Bath, though, had plenty of practice facing unstructured chaos in their superb quarter-final against Northampton, and stayed in the fight with a Hennessey break from midfield.
Bordeaux lock Adam Coleman may well have been carded for a high shot on Barbeary on another day, but the television match official saw no clear head contact.
The English side did not have to wait too long for another boost though, Arundell drawing defenders to allow Muir to blast through Maxime Lucu’s tackle and produce a superb diving finish in the corner.
Getty ImagesTameifuna delivers killer blow
Lucu soon found a response to Muir’s second try, as a knock-on in Bath’s half gifted his side the ball and it was shunted through the hands until the scrum-half was able to dart under the posts on 34 minutes.
Lucu kicked a penalty for a 24-12 half-time lead, with the relentless pace clearly affecting the visiting players.
Johann van Graan’s side found plenty of endeavour after the break though, a series of punishing forward drives taking them to the tryline and Hennessey capitalising on the space to stretch his arm over.
The French pressure came again. Bath were penned into their own half for the next 10 minutes. Jalibert almost jinked his way to the tryline on two occasions.
The unfortunate incidents started to pile up for Van Graan’s side, a missed line-out followed by a penalty against Ollie Lawrence and Muir forced off injured.
The champions flexed their muscles again, with Gaetan Barlot’s score ruled out after he lost control of the ball over the tryline, only for Tameifuna to power over from the next play, with Charlie Ewels in the sin-bin.
If that score put the chances of an English comeback in doubt the next made it almost impossible, with replacement Matiu picking up a loose ball to score in the 76th minute.
As is their way, the west country side never gave up the chase, with replacement Carr-Smith on hand to finish off a try with the final play after Arundell’s chip through.
Bath’s performance cemented their place back among Europe’s elite clubs after 20 years without a semi-final, but in Bordeaux they came up against a superb team who underlined the strength of their all-round game once more.
A year ago they were a club who had never won a major trophy – in the final against Leinster they will get the chance to earn a second in 12 months.
Line-ups
Bordeaux-Begles: Rayasi; Uberti, Penaud, Moefana, Bielle-Biarrey; Jalibert, Lucu (c); Perchaud, Lamothe, Sadie, Palu, Coleman, Bochaton, Woki, Gazzotti
Replacements: Barlot, Boniface, Tameifuna, Cazeaux, Vergnes-Taillefer, Matiu, Retiere, Hugo Reus
Bath: Carreras; Arundell, Hennessey, Lawrence, Muir; Russell, Spencer (c); Obano, Dunn, Du Toit, Roux, Ewels, Bayliss, Pepper, Barbeary
Replacements: Tuipulotu, Van Wyk, Sela, Hill, Underhill, Carr-Smith, De Glanville, Reid
Sin-bin: Ewels (67)
Match officials
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)
Assistant referees: Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy), Eoghan Cross (Ireland)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
