Latest
Overview
Season so far
Tournament record
L'Union Bordeaux-Bègles sera immédiatement dans le bain pour sa première journée en Amlin Challenge Cup
Bordeaux Begles coach Raphael Ibanez reckons the Challenge Cup double-header with domestic rivals Lyon will decide whether they fight on into the knockout rounds.
The European legend, who scored a try in Wasps’ 2007 Heineken Cup final victory over Leicester, has already seen his side beat newly promoted Lyon at Stade Andre Moga on the opening day of the season.
Lyon will want to bounce back from the 18-9 defeat by claiming the advantage in the back-to-back fixtures. These games will decide who kicks-on towards the quarter-finals with just a point separating the sides in pool four.
Both sides have been beaten by pace-setters Edinburgh so far, but they have also claimed victories against struggling London Welsh. And Ibanez reckons these two matches will decide which team challenges Edinburgh for a knockout spot.
He said: “Playing a French team in the Challenge Cup is not obvious, it feels more like a domestic game. I played in a match when we were defeated at home to Mont de Marsan in the same competition, and I do not want to relive that. If we emerge victorious the next two matches, we give ourselves a chance to compete in the finals of the European Challenge Cup.”
Lyon forwards coach Olivier Azam, who clashed with Ibanez for Gloucester, is seeing development in his newly promoted side.
He said: “No one is happy to be in the bottom of the table, even if we knew it was going to be hard being promoted. But I can tell you that the staff is welded. Each member tries to move forward, to contribute ideas. We changed our tune at the game strategy and we saw that it was more appropriate to our players.”
Match Facts
- Bordeaux-Begles have lost their last five games against fellow French opposition in the Challenge Cup whilst Lyon have lost their only two games against teams from the same country.
- Bordeaux-Begles’ Darly Domvo has made the most metres in the Challenge Cup this season so far, gaining 230 in the opening two rounds of fixtures.
- Bordeaux-Begles are yet to concede a try in the first half of a Challenge Cup game so far this season; only London Irish and Gloucester Rugby can boast a similar record.
- Lyon’s Sami Mavinga has won four turnovers in this season’s Challenge Cup; no player has won more in the opening two rounds of fixtures.
It's knock-out rugby for London Welsh and Bordeaux-Begles already after both lost their opening games of Pool 4 in the European Rugby Challenge Cup. - 22/10/2014 10:55
Bordeaux Begles scored five tries to beat domestic rivals Lyon 37-29 in a titanic European Rugby Challenge Cup battle.
The bonus-point victory sees the French side top Pool Four on 11 points, with Edinburgh meeting London Welsh tomorrow.
Moses Ratuvou set the game to light in cold French conditions with a try after just four minutes for Lyon and Jerome Porical converted to give the visitors a perfect start. But it would only last a minute, as their Top 14 rivals Bordeaux Begles hit-back through New Zealand born lock Matt Graham, Leonel Beauxis levelled the scores with the conversion.
The home side hit-the-front thanks to a Beauxis penalty after 10 minutes but Lyon showed their mettle with a try through Paul Bonnefond. The winger streaked in to put the visitors’ noses in-front and Porical added the extras.
The kickers traded penalties before the game swung back the way of the home side Bordeaux. 22-year-old full-back Romain Lonca crossed to make it 21-17 after Beauxis added the extras.
Eugene Nzi saw yellow for Lyon and the Begles took full advantage with a try from Laurent Del Boulbes.
But Porical added two more penalties to pull Lyon back to within two points at half-time.
It was just as tight after the break as Porical nudged Lyon back in-front before Romain Lonca got his second and Bordeaux’s third try.
And the hosts finally broke free 12 minutes from time when Thibault Lacroix battled over to give his side a 37-29 lead.
LIVE - TEST - Commentary