Bordeaux-Bègles bring Munster back down to earth

MATCH REPORT: Union Bordeaux-Bègles secured their place in the Champions Cup semifinals after they beat Munster 47-29 at Stade Chaban-Delmas.

The home side scored six tries on their way to victory, with France wing Damian Penaud scoring a record 12th try of the Champions Cup season.

Penaud dived over just after five minutes in front of a sold-out crowd as the hosts set up an all-French last-four tie at home against either Toulon or Toulouse, who meet on Sunday.

The 28-year-old overtook former England wing Chris Ashton’s tally of 11 in 2013-2014 with Saracens.

Munster were torn apart in the fifth minute when Matthieu Jalibert produced a pinpoint grubber kick through the visitors’ defence before Penaud pounced on the rolling ball and scored the first try of the game.

Jalibert could not convert the score.

The visitors reduced the lead to just two points in the ninth minute with a three-pointer by Jack Crowley.

However, not long after that, Jailbert restored his side’s five-point lead with a penalty of his own.

Munster were kicking themselves moments later when they failed to deal with a loose ball in their 22 and scrumhalf Maxime Lucu pounced on it to score his side’s second try. It all stemmed from that man Penaud again after his swerving run in the build-up.

Bordeaux were more lethal with ball in hand as the half went on, and the visitors were chasing shadows in the build-up to the third try of the game.

After some great running and passing by the home side, fullback Jon Echegaray put Pete Samu into space to ease over for the five-pointer in the 25th minute.

Echegaray rubbed salt into Munster’s wounds in the 34th minute when he finished off some more irresistible running to score another try.

Munster had the final say of the half when Alex Nankivell found his way to the tryline after sustained pressure in Bordeaux’s 22.

The Irish side played with more aggression in the opening stages of the second half and they also received a boost when Bordeaux lock Cyril Cazeaux received a yellow card for his team’s repeated infringements.

Things got better for Munster a few minutes later when wing Andrew Smith produced some individual brilliance down the touchline to score his team’s second try.

Crowley found the upright with his conversion attempt.

Jailbert managed to settle things a little bit for the home side in the 54th minute with a three-pointer.

It was Munster’s turn to have a player yellow-carded in the 55th minute after Tom Ahern produced some cynical offside play.

And not long after that, hooker Lamothe powered over for Bordeaux’s fifth try after a powerful driving maul.

Munster were reduced to 13 men in the 64th minute after Alex Kendellen was shown yellow for collapsing a maul. A few minutes later, Jalibert added another three points to make it a 25-point ball game.

Munster had a glimmer of hope in the 68th minute when they were awarded a penalty try after a deliberate knock-on by Jon Echegaray inside the home side’s half. Echegaray was also sent to the sinbin for that infringement.

There were some nervy moments in the final 10 minutes for the home side with Smith scoring his second try for Munster before Cazeaux was sent off in the 75th minute after he got a second yellow card.

However, France star Louis Bielle-Biarrey put the game to bed in the 78th minute with a great try.

The scorers:

For Bordeaux-Begles:
Tries: Penaud, Lucu, Samu, Echegaray, Lamothe, Bielle-Biarrey
Cons: Jalibert 3, Lucu
Pens: Jalibert 3

For Munster:
Tries: Nankivell, Smith 2, Penalty Try
Con: Crowley 2
Pen: Crowley

Red card: Cyril Cazeaux (Bordeaux, 75′ – after two yellow cards)

Yellow cards: Cyril Cazeaux (Bordeaux, 47′ – repeated infringements); Tom Ahern (Munster, 55′ – cynical play, offide); Alex Kendellen (Munster, 64′ – cynical play, collapsing a maul); Jon Echegaray (Bordeaux, 68′ – cynical play, deliberate knock-on); Cyril Cazeaux (Bordeaux, 75′ – foul play, high tackle)

Teams:

Bordeaux-Begles: 15 Jon Echegaray, 14 Damian Penaud, 13 Yoram Moefana, 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 10 Matthieu Jalibert, 9 Maxime Lucu (captain), 8 Pete Samu, 7 Guido Petti, 6 Mahamadou Diaby, 5 Cyril Cazeaux, 4 Adam Coleman, 3 Ben Tameifuna, 2 Maxime Lamothe, 1 Jefferson Poirot.
Replacements: 16 Connor Sa, 17 Matis Perchaud, 18 Sipili Falatea, 19 Pierre Bochaton, 20 Marko Gazzotti, 21 Bastien Vergnes-Taillefer, 22 Yann Lesgourgues, 23 Pablo Uberti.

Munster: 15 Thaakir Abrahams, 14 Calvin Nash, 13 Tom Farrell, 12 Alex Nankivell, 11 Andrew Smith, 10 Jack Crowley, 9 Craig Casey, 8 Gavin Coombes, 7 John Hodnett, 6 Peter O’Mahony, 5 Tadhg Beirne (captain), 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Oli Jager, 2 Diarmuid Barron, 1 Josh Wycherley.
Replacements: 16 Niall Scannell, 17 Mark Donnelly, 18 Stephen Archer, 19 Fineen Wycherley, 20 Tom Ahern, 21 Conor Murray, 22 Seán O’Brien, 23 Alex Kendellen.

Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)
Assistant referees: Ben Whitehouse (Wales), Ben Breakspear (Wales)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)