Both the Bulls and Bordeaux-Bègles threw it around with abandon in the Investec Champions Cup in Pretoria on Saturday. It wasn’t Test rugby, and the teams’ defensive effort lacked focus, but it was fun and, in keeping with the Christmas spirit, there were presents aplenty in a 12-try stocking filler, seven of them being pocketed by the visitors.
In the end, though, last season’s Champions Cup winners Bordeaux ran out deserved 46-33 victors, scoring all the second-half points as the visitors ramped up their intensity and showed why they are champions of Europe.
After going into the break with the Bulls 33-22 up, the romp slowed down in the second half, with the first score of the half falling to Boris Palu, the Bordeaux lock.
Louis Bielle-Biarrey scored their fifth 15 minutes later for the visitors to go into the lead for the first time in half an hour. This was followed by fly-half Matthieu Jalibert scoring Bordeaux’s sixth try, with substitute Salesi Rayisi scoring their seventh.
The crowd was getting jittery with 20 minutes to go and it was an appropriate response to a match that was slipping away from the hosts. The Bulls didn’t score a second-half point and Bordeaux became stronger as the match progressed.
For them, it wasn’t only about throwing it around. They were the more streetwise side. In the second-half especially, they were better on the ground and more impressive in the counter ruck. Some awkward conversations will be had in Pretoria by Bulls coach Johan Ackermann over the coming days.
Bordeaux were on the front foot almost immediately after the kickoff. Matthieu Jalibert danced his way on the blindside after a period of sustained territorial pressure by the visitors. His deft left-handed pass found Damian Penaud who rode several tackles to score from close.
Within eight minutes, the Bulls had scored a try themselves. A nifty kick by David Kriel caused all manner of panic in Bordeaux’s defence, the Bulls being awarded a five-metre scrum, their put-in. They worked it blind and good inter-passing found its way to Sebastian de Klerk to dot down, Pollard slotting a difficult touchline kick with aplomb.
It was punch and counter punch afterwards, a try for you, and one for me. Bielle-Biarrey was on hand moments later to score Bordeaux’s second, with an almost immediate reply from Reinhardt Ludwig in the corner, Pollard successful with the conversion — 14-all.
In keeping with the rhythm of the match, the next try was Bordeaux’s Maxime Lamothe’s, the hooker, collapsing like a brick wall over the blue line. The conversion was missed, though Jalibert succeeded with a penalty shortly afterwards.
The Bulls bounced back. Pollard attacked the line from close and fed a crisp “chicken-wing” pass to Akker van der Merwe in support for their third try. Canaan Moodie scored a splendid fourth, skinning his man on the outside and then referee, Carl Dickson, playing advantage, allowed the Bulls to rampage downfield via De Klerk. After quick re-cycling, Jandré Rudolph scored the Bulls fifth to give them a handy 11-point lead going into the shed.
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