Investec Champions Cup

Gloucester (24) 36

Tries: Clark, Llewellyn, Barton, Trenholm 2 Cons: Barton 4 Pen: Barton

Bordeaux Begles (17) 36

Tries: Page-Relo, Falatea, Uberti, Bielle-Biarrey 2 Cons: Lucu 4 Pen: Lucu

Gloucester and holders Bordeaux Begles began this season’s Champions Cup with a thrilling 36-36 draw at Kingsholm.

Bordeaux, bidding to win the Champions Cup for a third successive year, had looked in danger of their first loss in the competition since a quarter-final defeat by Harlequins in April 2024.

The French side trailed 24-17 at the interval and then 36-29 when Gloucester replacement Will Trenholm crossed twice midway through the second half for the early-season Prem leaders.

But France winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey quickly replied with his second try of the game, which was converted by Maxime Lucu, and neither team was able to produce a winning moment in a gripping finale.

Before kick-off, there was a moment’s silence in memory of Lions lock Hyron Andrews, who died on Friday aged 31.

Former Sale player Andrews died at the South African team’s hotel a day before their Champions Cup match in La Rochelle.

The Lions will fulfil that fixture in Andrews’ honour on Saturday and further tributes are planned across the opening round of Champions Cup games.

Gloucester’s three first-half tries all owed a lot to their strength at the scrum, although they twice had to come from behind to lead by seven points at the interval.

Bordeaux scrum-half Martin Page-Relo nipped clear to score the opener inside five minutes but the hosts responded well with replies from Arthur Clark and Max Llewellyn.

Sipili Falatea profited from a powerful carry by Englishman Tom Willis to level the score once more and Bordeaux captain Lucu kicked the visitors in front with a penalty from inside his own half.

Gloucester eventually took advantage of a prolonged spell of pressure when George Barton barged his way over from close range and the full-back kicked a penalty to close out the first half, adding to his three earlier conversions.

Bielle-Biarrey, who had been kept quiet in the first 40 minutes, sent fellow winger Pablo Uberti over in the corner before grabbing his first try to restore Bordeaux’s lead in a see-saw Pool Three encounter.

Trenholm’s quickfire double and Bielle-Biarrey’s second completed the scoring, taking both sides to five tries for the evening, and they both had chances for points in the closing stages.

Gloucester elected to kick a penalty to touch rather than go for the posts and lost possession, while Bordeaux could not capitalise on a scrum in Gloucester territory late on.

Gloucester head coach George Skivington told BBC Radio Gloucestershire:

“I’m really proud of the lads. We said we wanted to attack Bordeaux, put our game on them and I can only be positive about the way the boys did that.

“It’s a funny feeling right now because there were opportunities to win the game and we probably gave them a couple of easy outs in the first half when we really had them under pressure.

“Maybe that’s just a bit of learning for us up at that intensity and the small margins that make a big difference.

“To be leading for large chunks of the game, to go behind and come back to lead again shows massive character and shows what we want to stand for this year.

“Right now, it’s a funny feeling because we all know in the changing room that we could have won that game. It was a fierce contest.”

Gloucester: Barton; Joseph, Llewellyn, S Atkinson, Loader; C Atkinson, Robson; Bleuler, Lake (capt), C Knight, Kleyn, Clark, Gwynne, Morgan, Clement.

Replacements: Blake, Rapava Ruskin, Salt, Thomas, Trenholm, Ludlow, Englefield, W Knight.

Bordeaux Begles: Rayasi; Uberti, Depoortere, Moefana, Bielle-Biarrey; Lucu (capt), Page-Relo; Poirot, Lamothe, Falatea, Woki, Tameifuna, Gazzotti, Matiu, Willis.

Replacements: Sa, Perchaud, Pkhakadze, Zapedowski, Bochaton, Ibsaiene, Mousques, Buros.

Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)

Assistant referees: Franco Rosella (Italy) and Dario Merli (Italy)

TMO: Matteo Liperini (Italy)