Bordeaux-Begles advanced to the Champions Cup final with a hard-fought 27-24 victory over Bath in a gripping semi-final at Stade Chaban-Delmas on Sunday. The French side, playing in their first European semi-final, overcame a spirited Bath team that pushed them to the limit.
First Half: Bath Strike First
Bath started strongly, with fly-half Finn Russell orchestrating the attack. An early penalty from Russell gave the visitors a 3-0 lead. However, Bordeaux responded with a try from winger Damian Penaud, who finished off a sweeping move to put his side ahead. The conversion from Matthieu Jalibert made it 7-3. Bath hit back through a try from hooker Tom Dunn, who powered over from a maul, and Russell's conversion restored their lead at 10-7. Jalibert then kicked a penalty to level the scores at 10-10 before the break.
Second Half: Bordeaux Take Control
After the interval, Bordeaux came out with renewed intensity. Centre Yoram Moefana scored a try after a clever offload from Penaud, and Jalibert's conversion made it 17-10. Bath responded with a penalty from Russell, but Bordeaux extended their lead when flanker Mahamadou Diaby crossed the line following a powerful scrum. Jalibert again converted, making it 24-13. Bath refused to give up, and a try from winger Will Muir, converted by Russell, narrowed the gap to 24-20 with 15 minutes remaining.
Final Moments: Tense Finish
Bordeaux added a penalty from Jalibert to lead 27-20, but Bath set up a grandstand finish with a Russell penalty, making it 27-24 with five minutes left. Bordeaux held on through a frantic final phase, with Bath unable to find a winning score. The victory sends Bordeaux-Begles to their first Champions Cup final, where they will face either Leinster or Toulouse.
Bordeaux captain Maxime Lucu praised his team's resilience: "We knew it would be tough, but we showed character. The crowd was incredible." Bath head coach Johann van Graan lamented the narrow defeat: "We gave everything, but small errors cost us. We'll learn from this."
