Bordeaux-Begles 34 Chiefs 27

Bordeaux-Begles 34

Exeter Chiefs 27

Mark Stevens at Stade Chaban Delmas

It’s not quite over, but Exeter’s hopes of advancing in this season’s Champions Cup are hanging by a thread after defeat away to Bordeaux-Begles.

Like two prize fighters battling away in the ring, the rivalling teams traded countless blows before the Englishmen were finally floored by Marco Tauleigne’s converted try ten minutes from time.

His late touchdown was the last of eight tries scored at the Stade Chaban Delmas and means Rob Baxter’s Chiefs side now need somewhat of a miracle to advance into the quarter-finals.

They will wrap up their pool fixtures at home to the Ospreys next Sunday knowing not only do they need to claim maximum reward against their Welsh rivals, but also hope today’s latest conquerors can somehow starve Clermont of anything from their final outing.

With qualification from Pool Two still very much up for grabs heading into the game, Baxter paraded a fresh Exeter line-up that showed 13 changes from that which defeated Gloucester in the Premiership last time out. Just Ollie Atkins and Olly Woodburn were kept in harness as the Devonians shuffled their pack for this must-win encounter.

Although Bordeaux’s own qualification hopes were extinguished by their defeat at Clermont Auvergne in their re-scheduled Round One encounter, home coach Raphael Ibanez was keen to ensure his troops finished their home campaign with a notable scalp.

It was, however, the Chiefs who started the brighter, taking a fourth-minute lead when Will Hooley - making his first European start for Exeter - fired them in front with a penalty after the hosts were penalised by Irish referee John Lacey for going over the top.

Bordeaux countered almost immediately as Connor cut a lovely line off the right wing to release Hugh Chalmers, but as the openside tore down field towards the Exeter line, he knocked on in the tackle and the chance was lost.

Blair Connor, though, was proving a real live-wire and it was from his break that the home side created their first try, the winger linking cleverly with Julien Rey, who although thwarted short of the line, was able to feed the ball back into the path of Australian international Ashley-Cooper, who dotted down from five metres out.

Two minutes later and the Top 14 side were doubling their tally as Jean-Marcelin Buttin burst, followed by a hefty charge from hooker Ole Avei created the opened for Pierre Bernard to feed Connor, who glided his way over for try number two.

The quick one-two from the French had Exeter rocking on the ropes and things were not helped when Bernard landed a penalty shortly after to extend their lead to 13-3.

The Chiefs were in dire need of a response and it duly arrived when Woodburn cleverly fielded a hanging kick, before feeding Byron McGuigan, whose burst through the middle carved the opening for Lewis to race in under the posts for the converted score.

But no sooner had the Chiefs given themselves a lifeline back into the game, they conceded a third score when some powerful running up front paved the way for prop Francisco Gomez Kodela to squeeze his way over from close range. Initially Lacey was unsure of the grounding, but TV replays confirmed the score which was converted by Bernard.

Undeterred, Baxter’s troops kept to their script and when they countered again just past the half hour mark, they were once more rewarded with a second try as Matt Jess and Michele Campagnaro worked in tandem to release McGuigan, who darted down the left flank before diving over.

Holley obliged with the additional extras, landing a sublime kick from wide on the left, and the young fly-half slotted a second penalty with the last kick of the half to restore parity at the turn

HALF TIME BORDEAUX-BEGLES 20   EXETER CHIEFS 20

After such an absorbing first 40 minutes, the second period started in a similar vein as Lewis threatened with an early raid for the visitors, whilst at the other end some desperate defence from the Chiefs somehow thwarted Talebulamaijaina just five metres from the Exeter line.

With little to choose between either side, both sides turned to their replacements in a bid to freshen things up. The Chiefs were doing their best to up the tempo, but with their line-out not firing on full cylinders, hot ball was somewhat of a premium.

At the other end, the Frenchmen threatened once more, but the Chiefs appeared to be containing the threat well. That was until Lacey asked for a replay of a tackle by Shaun Malton on Aussie prop Sekpope Kepu. Several replays later and the decision was a warning for the Exeter hooker and a penalty to the hosts.

Opting not to kick at goal, the home side instead opted for the corner, creating the line-out that they duly used to prop replacement hooker Auzguz over from five metres out. French international Beauxis landed the conversion for the bonus point score to put his side back in command.

It was gripping stuff from both sides and it came as little surprise when the Chiefs hauled themselves back into the game once again. Little appeared on initially when Woodburn collected wide on but his quick exchange with Bodilly saw the latter spot the gap and race clear down the right for a third converted score.

However, just as it looked as though the Chiefs were poised to crack on, a yellow card for Hooley saw him dispatched to the cooler for ten minutes and gave Bordeaux the chance to press home their numerical advantage.

Looking to shunt the ball up through the middle through their pack, the hosts then went wide with a clever grubber kick looking for Ashley-Cooper in the left corner. In his foot race to the loose ball, McGuigan did just enough to deny the Aussie and the Chiefs were spared.

The French outfit, though, were far from finished and when they exposed space with ten minutes remaining, they landed a decisive blow when replacement Tauleigne was able to gallop clear of the Exeter cover following a snipe from Baptiste Serin. Beauxis slotted a second conversion attempt to put his side seven clear again.

It was a sucker punch delivered to the Chiefs, who despite bossing the latter stages were unable to make the most of a late yellow card for home prop Kepu. Although they pushed hard for some reward, their efforts were sadly not enough.

Bordeaux-Bègles: J-M Buttin; M Talebulamaijaina (F Le Bourhis 63), A Ashley-Cooper, J Rey, B Connor (B Serin 63); P Bernard (L Beauxis 54), Y Lesgourgues; J Poirot (S Taofifenua 51), O Avei (B Auzquz 51, Avei 71), F Gomez Kodela (S Kepu 54); J A Marais, A Jaulhac (C Cazeaux 64); L Madaule (capt, Kodela 79), H Chalmers, L Goujon (M Tauleigne 46).

Tries - Ashley-Cooper, Connor, Kodela, Auzguz, Tauleigne; Conversions - Bernard, Beauxis (2); Penalty - Bernard

Yellow Card: Kepu

Exeter Chiefs: B McGuigan; O Woodburn, M Campagnaro, M Bodilly (C Botha 73), M Jess; W Hooley, D Lewis (H Thomas 73); M Low (C Rimmer 73), E Taione (S Malton 54), A Brown (A Hepburn 50); O Atkins, J Hill (S Skinner 55); T Johnson (J Salvi 71), B White (G Steenson 69), K Horstmann (capt).

Tries - Lewis, McGuigan, Bodilly; Conversions - Hooley (3); Penalties - Hooley (2)

Yellow Card: Hooley

Referee: J Lacey

Attendance: 17,233