Bordeaux-Begles ended Toulouse’s 33-match home unbeaten run with a 16-12 Top 14 victory on Sunday that also brought a measure of revenge for their crushing defeat in last season’s league final.
Toulouse had not lost at their Stade Ernest-Wallon since they were edged 29-28 by Stade Francais on February 11, 2022. They had won 31 and drawn two at home since then.
“Winning here is no mean feat,” said Bordeaux-Begles scrum-half Maxime Lucu. “You have to savour it.”
Opponents often crumble against Toulouse’s strength and depth in the late stages of games. On Sunday, Bordeaux-Begles, humiliated 59-3 in their first Top 14 final in Marseille in June, defended with discipline and ferocious determination.
“We said a lot of things to each other over the summer after the end of the championship,” said Lucu.
“We’d set our sights on the Toulouse game as a match of character.”
Bordeaux collected a defensive bonus point and dislodged the two-time defending champions from the top of the table. The two teams, and third-place Toulon, all have 14 points from four games.
“Everyone thought we were so beautiful, so unbeatable and soaring to the top,” said Toulouse coach Ugo Mola.
“We’ve fallen back into line, which will please a lot of people, and I can’t hide the fact that it doesn’t displease me either.”
‘Played their hearts out’
Toulouse started fast, swinging the ball across the field from an eighth-minute scrum and outflanking the visitors as Thomas Ramos found Blair Kinghorn galloping into space on the wing.
Kinghorn then collected a 17th-minute yellow card for a high tackle on former Toulouse team-mate Arthur Retiere.
Bordeaux-Begles exploited the space to strike back, sending the ball wide where full-back Louis Bielle-Biarrey dodged between the last two defenders to score after 21 minutes.
Two minutes later Bielle-Biarrey set up Maxime Lucu for the go-ahead try.
Matthieu Jalibert, who had earlier kicked a penalty, missed both conversions.
That was the last score for almost 50 minutes although only a desperate tackle by Romain Ntamack saved Toulouse as he forced Enzo Reybier’s foot against the touchline just as the youngster touched down.
Toulouse seemed to be making their power count when Peato Mauvaka touched down after 70 minutes following a driving maul.
The score cut the gap to one point but Ramos missed the conversion that would have given Toulouse the lead.
Mateo Garcia landed a long-range penalty in the 75th minute to put the visitors four points up.
With Toulouse needing a try, Bordeaux-Begles dug deep to resist a final bludgeoning assault on their line.
“It’s no surprise that Bordeaux played their hearts out,” said Mola. “When you only score 12 points at home, you can’t expect to win the game.”
On Saturday, Toulon thrashed promoted Vannes 54-19 to collect a bonus point and move into a tie at the top of the table. Toulon scored eight tries, through eight different players.
Meanwhile, Pau climbed off the bottom of the table as they beat Stade Francais 30-16 as the Parisians slid into the bottom two.
