Saturday evening, for the 10th day of the Top 14, Union Bordeaux Bègles, led 29-7 at the break, overthrew RC Vannes to win at Bretagne (29-37) at the end of a surreal match.
TOPS
Bordeaux-Bègles, a “vice-champion” reaction
Led 29-7 at the break by a daring and valiant Vannes team, the Girondins delivered a dazzling and devastating second period, like the untenable Arthur Retière, with three tries on the clock, to finally win 29- 37 in Brittany. An impressive reaction from the French vice-champions, deprived of several of their French internationals on Saturday evening (Maxime Lucu, Maxime Lamothe, Yoram Moefana, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Romain Buros, Damian Penaud and Nicolas Depoortère) as well as their opener Matthieu Jalibert , left with an injury in the 10th minute of the match.
Mahamadou Diaby sounded the revolt
The Bordeaux third line did not go into detail against the Vannes team. If UBB was able to overthrow RCV in the second half it was partly thanks to its 34-year-old player who crushed Breton until the final whistle. The Girondin was simply intractable. 18 successful tackles out of 20. His teammate Temo Matiu has 16 on the clock… The Bordeaux rearguard was (well) locked down.
FLOPS
The RCV sank (precipitously)
First period in overdrive for Vannes or return to business for Bordeaux in the second? Surely a bit of both in this meeting with a crazy scenario, but the Bretons still suffered a scathing 30-0 in the second act. Jean-Noël Spitzer's men were crushed and finished fanny after the last 40 minutes. Which is always difficult when you play in front of your audience. The Vannes players went from dream to nightmare, unlike the Bordelais who experienced the opposite match. Each team had its half-time but the RCV can clearly blame themselves this evening because victory held out their arms to the Bretons, they who led 29-7 at the break, but who therefore still remain bottom of the championship. .. Cruel.
Paul Surano and Francis Saili have blood on their hands
Their unthinkable return from Bordeaux was highlighted by the two yellow cards in the same action (56th) from Francis Saili and Paul Surano in the second half. Two tackles deemed “unfair” by Vannes who offered a penalty try to UBB in the process and which allowed Cyril Cazeaux to score his second try of the match a few minutes later (64th). The two Breton players, very efficient in the first act, were the symbol of the fall of RC Vannes in this match and the terrible Girondin awakening.
Also read
Top 14: hit in the knee, Matthieu Jalibert (UBB) released after ten minutes of play in Vannes
Matthieu Jalibert injured
Times are tough for the Bordeaux fly-half. He who “sulked” the XV of France earlier in the week, left with an injury in the 10th minute of the match. The Girondin seemed to have been hit in the knee… Bad karma?
France
