Bielle-Biarrey helps Bordeaux-Begles avoid Top 14 slip-up before Champions Cup final / Photo: © AFP/File
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Bielle-Biarrey helps Bordeaux-Begles avoid Top 14 slip-up before Champions Cup final
France winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey came off the bench to guide Bordeaux-Begles to a nervy 36-33 home win over lowly Perpignan in the French Top 14 on Saturday, a week out from the Champions Cup final.
Bielle-Biarrey was brought on at half-time before scoring twice and assisting on a third try seven days before the Champions Cup holders face four-time winners Leinster in next Saturday's decider in Bilbao.
The 22-year-old also intercepted an 82nd minute grubber kick on his own line to deny the Catalans' winger Jefferson-Lee Joseph a certain match-winner.
Bielle-Biarrey's contribution kept his side among the pace-setters for the Top 14 play-offs as they moved seven points clear of Racing 92 in seventh place.
Perpignan had sensed a serious upset when they led 24-12 at the break and then 32-31 in the final quarter of an hour but knew they will be featuring in the relegation/promotion play-off even before kick-off.
Bordeaux-Begles head coach Yannick Bru named a mixed side, choosing to rest Bielle-Biarrey and scrum-half Maxime Lucu on the bench.
The Catalans' advantage at the interval was down to South African full-back Tristan Tedder's steady boot as he kicked nine points.
At half-time, Bru sent on a host of first-choice players, including Bielle-Biarrey and Lucu.
Bielle-Biarrey scored his opening touchdown and set-up lock Cyril Cazeaux in the first six minutes of the second-half before Lucu's conversion claimed the lead.
Bielle-Biarrey's second try, and 32nd of the season for club and country, came with 22 minutes to go before a crucial defensive intervention with the clock in the red.
Elsewhere, another Bleus winger, Theo Attissogbe, claimed the winner as Pau edged Clermont 24-19.
Australia full-back Tom Banks scored his fifth try of the season in Montpellier's 36-33 victory at Castres and Stade Francais hammered already-relegated Montauban 75-23.
Later on Saturday, Racing 92 welcome Toulon knowing a loss would put Pau, Montpellier and Stade Francais in the play-offs.
On Sunday, champions Toulouse need just one point to claim an automatic spot in the semi-finals as they head to La Rochelle.
R.Braegger--VB
