Top 14: UBB wins in Lyon and advances to the semi-finals

Lyon-Bordeaux in the playoff match at the Gerlan stadium. No, it’s not a throwback to the 2010 Champions League poster between Olympique Lyonnais and Bordeaux Girondins. But a rugby match. On Sunday, June 4, Union Bordeaux-Bègles (UBB) qualified for the Top 14 semi-finals, defeating Lyon Olympique Universitaire (LOU), 32-25, thanks in particular to two tries from winger Madosh Tambwe. Lyon face Stade Rochelais in the last four on Saturday, June 10 at the Estadio Anoeta lawn in San Sebastián, Spain.

The play-offs for this championship started a series of decisive matches on French soil, many of which will be played during the Rugby World Cup (September 8 – October 28). And with a hundred days to go before the planetary meeting, several players from the French XV decided to attack a little and shine in the final stage of the Top 14.

The first of them was Mate Jaliberti. UBB’s opening half has had a difficult season, with Romain Ntamaki blocking for the Blues suffering a number of injuries in recent months, first to an ankle and then to a finger. Against Lyon, he was a negative at times, especially as he lacked accessible conversions at the start of the match (7^e).

But his teammates didn’t blame him too much: indeed, the opener scored the first try of the game seconds earlier, beaming. A try that should probably have been disallowed for losing control of the ball, but the referee didn’t have a chance to review the pictures in slow motion. Due to a technical problem, video refereeing did not work this week.

Bordelais Madosh Tambwe canceled the meeting

If the brothels fired first, the people of Rhone reacted quickly. Another international, Ethan Dumortier, was responsible for reacting quickly (11^e), after a transfer from Baptiste Couillo, also used in Fabien Galtier’s lists. It was then the powerful Fijian center Josua Tuisova who discovered the error and finished off the action he himself had caused (30^e).

Adding to those two achievements was the accuracy of Lyon’s opener Lima Sofoaga (ten points on Sunday). However, the Bordelese were unable to score and were about to change the end of the match thanks to a man: Madosh Tambwe. Unseen or for almost an hour, the Congolese winger signed two exploits in a row to give his side victory, the first on the touchline (67).^e), on the other side (78^e).

Good luck Tambwe scores another try to move @UBBrugby closer to semi-final qualification with 2 minutes to go! #LOUUBB https://t.co/a9wuZR6frX

– CanalplusRugby (@CANAL+ Rugby)

Having narrowly qualified in sixth place and without an away win in three months, the Bordelais find themselves in the bottom four of the championship after this success on Lyon soil. “There is great pride and emotion tonight. I think few believed in us Mathieu Jalibert said after the match at the microphone of Canal +. This is the strength of this group, we are often where we are not expected. We knew we could make Lyon difficult and we succeeded. We haven’t won anything yet, but I’m happy for the team. »

To win something for sure, Bordelais will now have to eliminate La Rochelle in the semi-finals, a team that, on the other hand, is starting to absorb the trophies and has just won its second consecutive European title. UBB will therefore try their luck against a team in excellent form, after losing to Toulouse (24-21) in 2021 and Montpellier (19-10) last year.