Tops
The big blow of the UBB ...
Under pressure at the start of this 15th day of the Top 14, the Union Bordeaux-Bègles will spend an extra week in the Top 6. In its marathon facing competitors for the final stages (Toulouse, Toulon, Lyon , Clermont, Racing), the Girondin club has chained a new big performance, offering itself the ASM scalp (37-36), a week after having brought down Racing 92 on its lawn, by one point already ( 33-32).
UBB is traveling well and confirms its status as a current team.
... Winner at the finish
The Bordelais had started the meeting with a bang, scoring two tries in 10 minutes of play. But it was ultimately in stoppage time that the UBB won this precious success against Clermont.
Reduced to 14 in the last moments (Roumat, 69th), the UBB will have waited for the return of its third row to force its fate and go to overthrow Clermont on its land.
Eight minutes after the siren, Nathanaël Hulleu took a decisive plunge into the goal, a few seconds after a first finally refused (80th + 6).
A dive that brings 4 very important points to the UBB in the race to the finals.
Lucu decisive
If Bordeaux could believe in its destiny, it also owes it to its scrum-half Maxime Lucu, very inspired in recent weeks.
Excellent in the animation despite the absence of his friend Matthieu Jalibert, retained with the XV of France to prepare for the 6 Nations Tournament, he also shone by the foot.
Substituting a Ben Botica suffering in the exercise, he chained the penalties and transformations in the second half, ending the meeting with a nice 6/7 at the foot.
Flops
The Clermont start
If Bordeaux shone at the start of the match, it is also because Clermont missed his start.
Poorly disciplined and taken to the heart of the Bordeaux will, Camille Lopez's teammates suffered for a quarter of an hour, retreating on each impact and multiplying technical approximations.
Symbol of this failed start to the match: Rabah Slimani, penalized twice in closed scrum and released in the 24th minute of play. A recurrence for the international pillar (57 selections), definitely in the sights of the referees.
Clermont under pressure
By suffering another setback at home, Clermont put himself under pressure in the race for the finals.
If the signs are encouraging in the game for a few matches, this setback against a direct competitor could be penalized by an exit from the Top 6 in favor of Lyon (which receives Pau at 6.15 p.m.).
Against Bordeaux the black series continues for ASM, without a victory against the Girondins for 4 matches in all competitions.
Botica: a flash and then that's it
If he is at the origin of the second Bordeaux test by sending Buros to the test of a nice blind pass (10th), Ben Botica will have lived a match without flavor against Clermont.
He who knew he was expected in the absence of Jalibert did not really score points, sending the ball directly into touch (65th) and missing each of his attempts against the poles in the first period (0/3).
These 7 points forgotten on the way could have cost the UBB dearly, saved at the end of the meeting by Hulleu (80th + 8).
Read also
Top 14: Calendar and results
Top 14: Ranking
