Bordeaux-Bègles beats Racing 92 in the play-off to join Stade Français in the semi-final

The dream of a first Top 14 final in its history remains alive for the Union Bordeaux-Bègles (UBB). The Unionists, who finished third at the end of the season, enforced the hierarchy by winning 31-17, Sunday evening June 16, in a play-off against Racing 92, sixth in the ranking. There remains a major step to take: the Stade français that Bordeaux-Bègles will face at home in the semi-final, in a week.

“We had a lot of pressure on the damestimated the manager of Bordeaux-Bègles, Yannick Bru. We knew intrinsically that we had the level to participate in this semi-final but really we might not be there so we were tense”.

In a packed, white-hot Chaban-Delmas stadium, the UBB responded against Stuart Lancaster’s Racing, who had qualified at the last minute thanks to a converted try at the very end of the match in La Rochelle during the 26^e and last day of the regular season and who delivered his twelfth play-off since his return to the elite in 2009.

But this experience was not enough against the Girondins who have become specialists in these false quarter-finals over the last four seasons, and the 2024 vintage did not deviate from this new tradition. On the road to their dream of the Shield, with two home matches on the program, they were able to cope with the pressure in a first act marked by strong indiscipline, by being clinical in the face of the wind, scoring on their first action, recited with three-quarter combination and finish from sprinter Madosh Tambwe, breaking two tackles in the process (18^e).

The Tristan Tedder metronome was not enough

The injury exit of “Big” Ben Tameifuna (32^e), hit in a shoulder, caused a temporary disturbance among the premises which the Ile-de-France residents almost took advantage of by Vinaya Habosi, who scored a try almost copy-paste from that of Tambwe but which the referee Thomas Charabas invalidated, judged in -before the pass that put it into orbit (34^e).

Too bad for the sky and white of the metronome Tristan Tedder (4 successful penalties at the break including two from 60 meters) who went down on one knee just before the break, losing for ten minutes on yellow card Cameron Woki and giving in immediately on a penalty concluded by Maxime Lamothe (21-12).

The break did not dampen the local enthusiasm, with an “overhand” from Maxime Lucu − author of 16 points − concluded by Romain Buros (31-12, 52^e). Stunned, the teammates of Josua Tuisova, little used until then and above all well controlled by the Bordeaux defense, ended up finding some space with a Gaël Fickou on his legs and saved their honor by Max Spring (67^e) at the end of a long action which left several players with their hood open.

“We are a club that has ambitions, once again we stopped in the play-off even though we were a new team under constructionregretted Ibrahim Diallo, third row of Racing 92. We will continue to build”

We will have to play a “full match” against Stade français

Only training still in the running “to have gained nothing”, recalled its manager Yannick Bru on Saturday, UBB will therefore return to Stade Français, which has beaten it twice this season.

“This semi-final marks the club’s consistency at the highest level of French rugby”, reacted Bordeaux-Bègles fullback Romain Buros. “ If we look, this evening, we are not playing a full match and we know that against Stade Français, we will have to play one,” he added.

The other semi-final, also scheduled in Bordeaux, will pit La Rochelle, winner in Toulon in the play-off on Saturday, against Stade Toulouse on Friday, the finalists of the last exercise who were unable to decide between themselves two weeks ago at the Stadium in the regular season. .