Bordeaux’s Dominant Second Half Overwhelms Leicester Tigers

Pete Samu scored the first of Bordeaux’s six tries. Investec Champions Cup Bordeaux Begles 42 (14) Tries: Samu (2), Petti, Bielle-Biarrey (2), Depoortere Cons: Jalibert (6) Leicester 28 (21) Tries: Wells, Bassett, Joussain, Perese Cons: Shillcock (4) Leicester Tigers’ ambitions for an opening win in the European Cup were thwarted by a series of second-half tries from Bordeaux Begles. Leicester had established a lead by halftime, but a rapid sequence of three tries by the hosts within six minutes immediately after the resumption decisively shifted the match in Bordeaux’s favour. France international back Louis Bielle-Biarrey contributed two notable tries during Bordeaux’s period of dominance, while forward Pete Samu also scored twice. Leicester secured a crucial bonus point when Izaia Perese registered their fourth try during the final play of the match at Stade Chaban-Delmas, amidst blustery conditions. The Tigers commenced strongly when Harry Wells crossed the try line following a lineout. However, the lock lost possession shortly after the restart, which enabled Samu to score the first of his two tries as the number eight. Josh Bassett scored with an acrobatic finish in the corner to reclaim the lead, which was further extended by an excellent conversion from Jamie Shillcock. However, Bordeaux equalized after Guido Petti exploited a gap in Leicester’s lineout, resulting in a try converted by Matthieu Jalibert. Come Joussain, the sole French player in the English Premiership, made a notable Leicester debut by scoring the Tigers’ third try, giving them a 21-14 lead at halftime. However, Bordeaux found their rhythm during a powerful period early in the second half. Bielle-Biarrey capitalized on a dropped ball, running onto his own chip ahead to score. Subsequently, Samu gathered a kick from Jalibert to put the hosts ahead, prior to Bielle-Biarrey scoring under the posts. Nicolas Depoortere scored unchallenged for Bordeaux’s sixth and conclusive try. However, despite showing signs of fatigue amidst the offensive pressure, Leicester secured an opportunity for a bonus point as Perese forced his way over after an impressive run by Hanro Liebenberg. Having been narrowly defeated by Harlequins in a memorable quarter-final last season, Bordeaux Begles are positioned as potential contenders for this season’s European Cup should they maintain this form. Nevertheless, Leicester also demonstrated how teams can challenge the side currently ranked second in the French Top 14, with Stade Chaban-Delmas remaining relatively subdued until the second-half surge that altered the match’s trajectory. The Tigers maintained possession for extended periods in Bordeaux’s territory but appeared to have expended their energy by the time Depoortere scored. Perese’s bonus-point try offered minor consolation, but Leicester will be required to convert their pressure into scores when they host Sharks next Saturday, following Sharks’ 39-21 victory over Exeter in their opening fixture. The team lineups for the match were as follows: Bordeaux Begles: Bielle-Biarrey; Penaud, Depoortere, Moefana, Retiere; Jalibert, Lucu (capt); Poirot, Lamothe, Tameifuna, Petti, Gray, Diaby, Vergnes-Taillefer, Samu. Replacements: Sa, Boniface, Sadie, Coleman, Swinton, Tatafu, Tapuai, Carbery. Leicester Tigers: Steward; Bassett, Perese, Kata, Hassell-Collins; Shillcock, Van Poortvliet (capt); Cronin, Clare, Heyes, Wells, Joussain, Liebenberg, Ilione, Cracknell. Replacements: Theobald-Thomas, Whitcombe, Hurd, Holloway, Hatherell, Whiteley, Woodward, Brown.