Bordeaux book Champions Cup spot

Pierre Bernard's last-gasp drop-goal completed a remarkable comeback from Bordeaux-Begles, as they edged out Gloucester 23-22 to secure a place in next season's European Champions Cup.

The English side, winners of this season's Challenge Cup, had appeared to be romping to victory when Henry Purdy's try and 14 points from the boot of Greig Laidlaw gave them a 19-3 lead after just 25 minutes.

But the French side hit back emphatically as wing Metuisela Talebula scored a brace of tries and flyhalf Bernard kicked 13 points, including his clinching score with the last action of the game.

Gloucester enjoyed a dream start, inside two minutes Laidlaw had landed a long-range penalty to put them ahead, and the Scotland scrumhalf doubled the dose when Jefferson Poirot was adjudged to have collapsed an 11th minute scrum.

Five minutes later and the Cherry and Whites had the first try of the match. A fortuitous bounce from Bernard's chip fell into the hands of Charlie Sharples and the wing made ground up the Gloucester right. The ball was shipped left for James Hook to produce a lovely kick ahead for Purdy, playing due to Jonny May's illness, to gather and acrobatically fly over.

Laidlaw added the extras and followed it with a third successful penalty to put the English side 16-0 to the good and leave the French side with an uphill battle to reach European rugby's top tier.

Flyhalf Bernard did at least get them on the scoreboard with a penalty, but Laidlaw replied in kind in a matter of minutes to restore Gloucester's 16-point lead.

Bordeaux needed to make a dent in that advantage before the break and they did with 10 points in a little over two minutes.

Bernard kicked a penalty before Talebula struck in emphatic fashion to give his side chance of returning to the top flight in Europe for the first time since the 1998/99 season.

Purdy's break and Ross Moriarty's charge had put the hosts in good field position, but the No.8 spilled the ball, the Bordeaux wing pounced to beat two tackles and race 80 metres to score under the posts. The conversion brought them within six points and Raphael Ibanez's side started the second half at a furious tempo, moving the Gloucester defence from side to side, without being able to finish several promising situations.

They completed the turnaround three minutes before the hour mark as Talebula went over for his second try. Bernard made a half-break in midfield, and lock Jandre Marais and centre Julien Rey were in support to put the Fiji international over, with the conversion giving them Bordeaux the lead for the first time.

It set up a frenetic final quarter.

Laidlaw held his nerve to land his fifth penalty and put Gloucester back in front with just nine minutes to play, after Bordeaux's Blair Connor was penalised for holding on after trying to counter.

But it was not enough as a controlled maul forced Gloucester to infringe; the penalty was not required as Bernard's drop-kick sailed between the uprights to French delight – a week after Lionel Beauxis' last minute penalty had sailed wide at Toulouse to deny them a top six finish.

* The 2015/16 Champions Cup qualifiers:

Top 14: RC Toulon, ASM Clermont Auvergne, Toulouse, Stade Francais Paris, Racing Metro 92, Oyonnax, Bordeaux-Bègles

Premiership: Saracens, Bath Rugby, Northampton Saints, Leicester Tigers, Exeter Chiefs, Wasps

Pro12: Glasgow Warriors, Munster Rugby, Ospreys, Ulster Rugby, Leinster Rugby, Scarlets, Benetton Treviso

The scorers:

For Gloucester:

Try: Purdy

Con: Laidlaw

Pens: Laidlaw 5

For Bordeaux-Bègles:

Tries: Talebula 2

Cons: Bernard 2

Pens: Bernard 2

DG: Bernard

Yellow cards: John Afoa (Gloucester, 46 – repeated infringements, scrum collapse), Jefferson Poirot (Bordeaux-Bègles, 46 – repeated infringements, scrum collapse)

The teams:

Gloucester: 15 Rob Cook, 14 Charlie Sharples, 13 Bill Meakes, 12 Billy Twelvetrees (captain), 11 Henry Purdy, 10 James Hook, 9 Greig Laidlaw, 8 Ross Moriarty, 7 Jacob Rowan, 6 Sione Kalamafoni, 5 Tom Palmer, 4 Tom Savage, 3 John Afoa, 2 Richard Hibbard, 1 Nick Wood.

Replacements: 16 Darren Dawidiuk, 17 Yann Thomas, 18 Shaun Knight, 19 Elliott Stooke, 20 Dan Thomas, 21 Dan Robson, 22 Billy Burns, 23 Steve McColl

Bordeaux-Bègles: 15 Lionel Beauxis, 14 Metuisela Talebula, 13 Felix le Bourhis, 12 Julien Rey, 11 Blair Connor, 10 Pierre Bernard, 9 Heini Adams, 8 Peter Saili, 7 Hugh Chalmers, 6 Louis-Benoit Madaule, 5 Berend Botha, 4 Jandre Marais, 3 Patrick Toetu, 2 Ole Avei, 1 Jefferson Poirot.

Replacements: 16 Clément Maynadier, 17 Jean-Baptiste Poux, 18 Francisco Gomez Kodela, 19 Adam Jaulhac, 20 Matthew Clarkin, 21 Yann Lesgourgues, 22 Jayden Spence, 23 Baptiste Serin

Referee: Leighton Hodges (Wales)

Assistant referees: Dudley Phillips (Ireland), Rhys Thomas (Wales)

TMO: Jim Yuille (Scotland)

Source: @ChampionsCup

Date for the diary! #EPCRPoolDraw Pool draw for 2015/16 #ChampionsCup set for Wed, 17 June http://t.co/E8p9QSBQ3L pic.twitter.com/HdTkkQk6zp

— Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) May 27, 2015

Dramatic conclusion at Sixways. @UBBrugby book 20th place in next season's #ChampionsCup @gloucesterrugby will play in #ChallengeCup

— Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) May 31, 2015