Bordeaux pick up crucial away win
The Top 14 side slipped behind to a Jack Maunder try after the game had remained scoreless for the opening 30 minutes. Gareth Steenson added the conversion, but the Chiefs should have been much further ahead by then.
Lachie Turner and Steenson twice went within inches of scoring, but the Bordeaux defence stood firm. Better than that, they created a position for scrum half Baptiste Serin to kick a penalty to reduce the arrear to 7-3 at the break.
The game looked as though it could be in some danger as the fog rolled in even more just before half-time, but it cleared in the second half to allow the game to go the full distance.
The home side had the greater possession and territory in the second half, but Bordeaux attacked of the base of a scrum against the head in the 22 and No.8 Marco Tauleigne sent Serin racing clear to the posts for a try that gave the visitors the lead.
Ian Madigan added the simple conversion and then his replacement, Lionel Beauxis, kicked a penalty to leave the Chiefs trailing by six points.
It looked as though wing James Short had cut the gap with a wonder run from the 10 metre line, but he just lost control of the ball on the line as he stretched to score.
That summed up Exeter's match and, with three successive defeats in Pool Five their hopes of backing up their trip to the quarterfinals last season are over.
The scorers:
For Exeter:
Try: Maunder
Con: Steenson
For Bordeaux-Bègles:
Try: Serin
Con: Madigan
Pens: Serin, Beauxis
Teams
Exeter Chiefs: 15 Lachie Turner, 14 Jack Nowell, 13 Ollie Devoto, 12 Henry Slade, 11 James Short, 10 Gareth Steenson (captain), 9 Jack Maunder, 8 Dave Dennis, 7 Don Armand, 6 Dave Ewers, 5 Jonny Hill, 4 Geoff Parling, 3 Tomas Francis, 2 Jack Yeandle, 1 Ben Moon.
Replacements: 16 Shaun Malton, 17 Carl Rimmer, 18 Greg Holmes, 19 Ollie Atkins, 20 Kai Horstmann, 21 Will Chudley, 22 Sam Hill, 23 Michele Campagnaro.
Bordeaux-Bègles: 15 Jean-Marcellin Buttin, 14 Nans Ducuing, 13 Romain Lonca, 12 Julien Rey, 11 Blair Connor, 10 Ian Madigan, 9 Baptiste Serin, 8 Marco Tauleigne, 7 Joe Edwards, 6 Loann Goujon, 5 Berend Botha, 4 Tom Palmer, 3 Marc Clerc, 2 Ole Avei, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: 16 Clement Maynadier, 17 Sébastien Taofifenua, 18 Jean-Baptiste Poux, 19 Luke Jones, 20 Hugh Chalmers, 21 Yann Lesgourgues, 22 Lionel Beauxis, 23 Josaia Vakacegu.
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Gwyn Morris (Wales), Robert Price (Wales)
TMO: Tim Hayes (Wales)
Source: @ChampionsCup
