29-7 down at halftime on the field of the promoted team from Vannes, the Union Bordeaux-Bègles completely turned the tide upon returning from the locker rooms to ultimately prevail 29-37 in a spectacular match with a crazy scenario.
A comeback from the Breton abysses. This trip to Vannes, UBB will remember it. Mistreated and even humiliated for 40 minutes by audacious and uninhibited Vannetais, Yannick Bru’s men achieved an important away victory (29-37) on Saturday night, during the 10th round. Abandoned by their fly-half Matthieu Jalibert, who had sulked from the XV de France earlier in the week and was a starter, but unfortunately injured his knee in the 10th minute of the game, Bordeaux-Bègles experienced a rollercoaster of emotions on the field in Vannes.
In the midst of a nightmare in the first half and trailing 29-7 at halftime (Ben Tapuai scored Bordeaux’s first try (40th) just before the break), following Vannes’ tries by Michael Ruru (4th), Francis Saili (13th), Paul Surano (19th), and Mako Vunipola (32nd), the French vice-champions showed an impressive display of pride in the second half.
Bordeaux-Bègles, a reaction of a « vice-champion »
In the last 40 minutes, the Bordelais showed a completely different face, the one we are used to seeing, fierce and confident, which swept past the Vannetais by scoring 30 points. Cyril Cazeaux scored a brace, including the first try right after the break (41st) before powering through a few minutes later (64th). Arthur Retière also took charge of calming the Breton spirits at the beginning of the second half (46th). A RCV team that seemed to evaporate as the minutes passed, weighed down by the two yellow cards on the same action of Paul Surano (56th) and Francis Saili (56th).
UBB needed no less to secure a second away victory in the championship this season and overturn the local team, who were left empty-handed in the second half, remaining bottom of the Top 14 standings. The Bordelais, meanwhile, strengthened their second place in the table, just behind Stade Toulousain, thanks to this unexpected success in Brittany.
