The Bulls turned out their best performance so far this season during their opening Champions Cup match against Bordeaux. But they still fell seven tries to five. Picture: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images An excellent first-half performance by the Bulls was not enough to hold off defending champions Union Bordeaux Bègles, who romped to a 46-33 win in their opening Champions Cup pool match at Loftus on Saturday.
The Pretoria side scored five tries in the first half, wrestling momentum after a strong start from the French visitors (half-time score 33-22). But Bordeaux scored two tries while the Bulls had two yellow cards in the second half, and not even five Springboks coming off the bench was enough to turn back a determined French outfit. Bordeaux scored four tries in the second half while the Bulls couldn’t put points on the board again.
The game ended seven tries to five, with the Bulls at least earning a bonus point. France star Damian Penaud opened Bordeaux’s account in the fourth minute, muscling past defenders on the wing for the first try of the day. The Bullsnearly scored twice – once after a restart and again from a kick-through – but on both occasions the ball went into the dead-ball line just before the attacker could ground it.
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Winger Sebastian De Klerk, however, did not miss his second opportunity, finishing an overlap try straight from a scrum in the ninth minute. Bordeaux hit back with their own overlap try in the 12th minute,World Rugby Player of the Yearnominee Louis Bielle-Biarrey skirting around defenders to score. Seven minutes later, Bulls flanker Reinhardt Ludwig similarly scored to level the game at 14–14.
But Bordeaux were relentless, Maxime Lamothe mustling through defenders after a breakdown penalty in the 23rd minute. Two minutes later, Lamothe’s opposite hooker, Akker van der Merwe responded with his own try. Handré Pollard converted to give the Bulls the lead for the first time: 21-19.
Bordeaux took the lead back with a penalty in front of the posts in the 34th minute. Springbok speedster Canan Moodie showed his skill, running around Bordeaux fullback Romain Buros from a standing start to score in the 37th minute. Jeandré Rudolph then extended the lead right before half-time with a try under the posts after an enormous run by De Klerk. That gave the Bulls a 33-22 lead at the break.
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