Nothing is going well on the side of Bordeaux-Bègles. The UBB lost again on Saturday in the round of 16 first leg of the European Cup in the Atlantic derby against La Rochelle (13-31), a week after a defeat on the wire in the Top 14 against the same Rochelais.
The last finalist of the event, in full, once again made a strong impression against his neighbor Bordeaux, complexed as possible against these Maritimes that he cannot take, for the fifth time in a row.
With an 18-point lead before the return match at Deflandre, it is hard to see Ronan O’Gara’s men, seated in the stands on Saturday, not validating their ticket for the quarterfinals.
If the opposition a week ago in the Top 14 had been played on small details and a penalty after the siren (15-16), the scenario of the day highlighted a big La Rochelle superiority materialized by three tries.
As a symbol, the first two were registered as in the Top 14 by Raymond Rhule (22nd) and Jonathan Danty (54th) on two actions placed with sweeping the ground each time, the last after an anti-play fault by Clément Maynadier worth yellow card for the hooker and penalty try (64th).
La Rochelle in management, UBB too late
The cup was then full for the players of Christophe Urios (8-28) whose individualities and experienced players flinched in front of the visiting power and suffered from the difference with their vis-à-vis, Brice Dulin, Jonathan Danty and Grégory Alldritt in the lead.
If the replaced in 3rd line Cameron Woki, combining mischief and acrobatics, had breathed a wind of reconquest into the recovery by finally registering a test on penalty touch (48), Chaban had above all seen until then a team in cruel lack of realism in the mark area.
And she had opportunities. After crossing, Mamad Diaby committed a forward while a numerical superiority offered itself in front of him (16th).
After a half-hour pounding putting the Rochelais at fault three times, the UBB wanted to insist in the scrum – an area where it dominated by the way – instead of taking points which would have reduced the gap at the break. (3-13) and his chances in this opposition.
At the end of the match, it was through disjointed rugby that the Girondins reduced the extent of the score a little thanks to a try from Federico Mori served with a chistera by Woki (61st) when the Rochelais had already put themselves in management mode for the return match in a week.