Bordeaux-Bègles (UBB) – Racing 92 (31-17). The tops and the flops: Tambwe in a flash, Woki anonymous

The tops

Tevita Tatafu.Indispensable point of support. Offensively, the Japanese international of Tongan origin often put his partners ahead with his powerful charges or his starts behind his scrum. A real guarantee to take advantage of the line. He gains the difficult centimeters… Defensively, his density was also valuable. This first match in the final stages…

The tops

Tevita Tatafu. Indispensable point of support. Offensively, the Japanese international of Tongan origin often put his partners ahead with his powerful charges or his starts behind his scrum. A real guarantee to take advantage of the line. He gains the difficult centimeters… Defensively, his density was also valuable. This first match in the finals confirms what we already knew: he is one of the best number 8s in the Top 14 this season.

Romain Buros. Returning from a knee injury suffered against La Rochelle, just in time to compete in this play-off, Romain Buros had the opportunity to demonstrate how important he was in the Bordeaux system. A puncher as usual when challenging the line, he especially knew how to demonstrate the length and precision of his kicking game. He also did not hesitate to take over from Matéo Garcia in position 10. His try at the start of the second period sounded like a logical reward.

Madosh Tambwe. A talent summed up in one stroke of brilliance. His first exploitable ball, he converted it into a spectacular try. Staggered by Romain Buros, the Congolese winger of UBB, who will join Montpellier next season, first put down Tristan Tedder with an acceleration before electrifying Antoine Gibert with an overflow framing to score his seventh try of the season in Top 14. The 10th in all competitions. Against Josua Tuisova, he knew how to show himself when necessary. Illustration with a salutary tackle on the Fijian who had just received a diagonal at the foot of Tristan Tedder at the entrance to the Bordeaux 22 meters. A solidity which he also demonstrated in the second half.

The flops

Siya Kolisi. He could hardly shine in a match where Racing’s front five was most often dominated. But the third row and captain of the double world champions Springboks still proved particularly neutral in a context where his leadership would have been so valuable. His influence in the combat zones was minimal, he failed to make any impact either offensively or defensively. A disappointment for a player of his stature.

Cameron Woki. He declared a week ago that he was satisfied with his season. The former UBB player, once again placed in the second row, did not present his best face during this play-off. Like an improbable forward move committed when he was starting a pivot pass to extend a movement initiated by a breakthrough from Gaël Fickou, or a pass into space at the start of the second half, he ‘is shown borrowed. Not always close to the combat phases, he also and above all showed himself to be undisciplined. Penalties at his disposal and one in particular a synonym of yellow card, just before the UBB created the first break thanks to a winning ball carried (21-12).

Joshua Tuisová. An evening reflecting its season: to forget. The powerful Fijian never managed to improve the few balls he had to negotiate. His rare interventions were suppressed by the Bordeaux defense, like this perfect diagonal that Tristan Tedder sent him in the first period. A performance far from the standards that were his when he played in Lyon last season. But it must be recognized that Josua Tuisova has gone through painful ordeals this season. After being injured during the World Cup, he was successively bereaved by the disappearances of his son and then his mother. He ultimately only played five Top 14 matches this season.