The scent of the finals reigned in the Southwest this Saturday.
After the epic Biarritz-Bayonne match for accession to the Top 14, it was the jump-off for the Bordeaux-Clermont semi-finals that set the mood.
The Chaban-Delmas stadium thrilled for its players, who won a qualification after a solid match against the Auvergnats (25-16).
They will meet Toulouse in the semi-final on June 19 at 8:45 p.m. in Lille, for a remake of the last European Cup semi-final won by Toulouse.
It took about twenty minutes for the Bordelais to get into the game. Inexperienced at this level (this is the first participation of Union Bordeaux Bègles in the final phase), the players of Christophe Urios suffered the onslaught of Clermontois more sharp. Damian Penaud gives the advantage to the Jaunards at the conclusion of a good action from the 7th minute. The Girondins are clumsy, Jalibert misses an easy penalty, unusual for the international opener.
Fortunately for UBB, ASM is not sovereign either.
The Auvergnats offer a try to the Bordeaux hooker Maynadier on a lost touch near the line.
And as Jalibert found his standards at the foot, with in particular a penalty of more than 50 m in the second period, the Bordelais took back control at the break.
They are not going to let them go anymore.
With an iron defense, like the pillar Ben Tameifuna who scratches two precious balls, Bordeaux remains in front and relies on Jalibert's boot, impeccable this Saturday evening.
UBB is holding its semi-final.
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The player: Jalibert as boss
The young international opener, after a hesitant start, took matters in hand in this jump-off, not hesitating to attack the line and to provoke the Clermontois.
He especially investigated the points at the foot (7 of 8), including a splendid penalty of more than 50 m.
Precious.
The phrase
Matthieu Jalibert, at the microphone of Canal +: “It's for emotions like that that we play rugby.
We went to get it, we promised ourselves before the match.
We take a test against which gives us a little doubt but we stayed focused, we picked up the points little by little.
We have a second semi-final this year after the European Cup, it's exceptional!
"
Dots.
Bordeaux.
1 test (Maynadier 36th).
1 transformation (Jalibert 36e).
6 penalties (Jalibert 24th, 25th, 50th, 58th, 67th, 77th).
Clermont. 1 test (Penaud 7th). 1 transformation (Parra 7th). 3 penalties (Parra 44th, 54th, 63rd).