TOP 14 – 15th day – The surprise: UBB falls at home against Lyon (20-22)

The LOU's big blow! At the end of a match strangely reminiscent of the scenario of the first leg, the Lyonnais won on the pitch of Union Bordeaux-Bègles on Saturday evening (20-22). Despite a difficult end to the first act, Baptiste Couilloud's partners resolved their problem of indiscipline after the break, containing the Girondin attacks until snatching a success thanks to a penalty from Léo Berdeu a few seconds from time.

Against a Bordeaux team deprived of its best elements at the back, Damian Penaud, Yoram Moefana and Louis Bielle-Biarrey being retained by the Blues less than a week before the start of the 6 Nations Tournament, the Rhone residents have long believed that the four points of victory could elude them. Authors of a better start, marked by a try from the untenable Davit Niniashvili (3rd), the visitors then failed to widen a real gap, between an overly greedy Martin Méliande or an Alban Roussel committing several avoidable mistakes, leaving the Bordelais in the match.

Determined to preserve its invincibility at home, UBB showed character, taking advantage of Lyon's indiscipline to get up and even take the lead at the break (17-13). Two tries signed Pablo Uberti (18th) at the end of the line, then Romain Latterrade (37th) behind a carried ball, as well as a yellow card addressed to Dylan Cretin, gave hope of a second act even more to their advantage , after a mixed first period, marked in particular by the injury of Tevita Tatafu.

Unfortunately for them, the entries of Matthieu Jalibert, Maxime Lucu or Nicolas Depoortere did not breathe new life, and it was LOU who proved to be the most effective in defense. Although they could have avoided such a tight end to the match, Vincent Rattez having been denied a cap try for having lost control of the ball when flattening, the visitors never stopped believing in their achievement. A few seconds after believing they lost on a penalty scored in the corner by Joey Carbery, they got a final chance to win. And as in the first leg, where they came close to being penalized by conceding a try two minutes from the end, Léo Berdeu turned into a savior (20-22, 80th).

This victory, the first in the history of LOU in Bordeaux in the Top 14, allows the Rhone residents to move up to 9th place and give themselves some breathing room in the red zone. In the other camp, if they were aiming for a tenth success in a row in all competitions, the Bordelo-Béglais will be able to console themselves with the defensive bonus point, which allows them to remain leaders at the end of this 15th day. With the same number of points as Toulouse, victorious over Montpellier a little earlier (27-17).