Penaud hat-trick all but ends Exeter last-16 hopes

Investec Champions Cup

Exeter (5) 17

Tries: Brown-Bampoe (2), Hammersley Cons: Slade

Bordeaux (31) 69

Bordeaux-Begles defeated Exeter Chiefs to allbut end their hopes of making it to the last 16 of the Investec Champions Cup with a hat-trick, scored by Damian Penaud.

Exeter wing Paul Brown-Bampoe ran in a sensational length-of-the-field try on his first Champions Cup appearance to open the scoring.

Maxime Lucu and Damian Penaud scored tries for Bordeaux, who were at their best during a dominant opening period.

In a frenzied opening period, Lucu and replacement Louis Bielle-Biarrey and hooker Maxime Lamothe both scored in Penaud’s mazy run.

Both Penaud and Bielle-Biarrey grabbed their second tries in the second half, with Cyril Cazeaux also crossing.

Early in the second period, Brown-Bampoe did score a second goal for the Chiefs, but Exeter held its best position throughout the contest.

Penaud had a chance to finish his hat-trick, but Matthieu Jalibert unselfishly passed the ball to Jalibert for another try, and Yann Lesgourgues, his immediate replacement, added a score.

In the final stages, Rob Baxter’s side received a losing bonus point after Toma Taufa was shown a red card for a high tackle and a sharp finish from Ben Hammersley.

Penaud ended up with his hat-trick, but Bordeaux remained determined to defend them from a fourth try and bonus point.

The top four earn a spot in the last 16, and the top two earn a knockout stage advantage over the top two in each of the four pools.

The Chiefs are now sixth in pool one, which means they must rely on other outcomes to win their final game against Ulster on Friday.

On paper, Sandy Park’s event had a strong focus on the French visitors.

The Chiefs are top of the Top 14, having scored 82 points in their opening two pool games against Leicester Tigers and Ulster, but have only won once overall this season.

Bordeaux stayed inside the Exeter 22 for the first few exchanges before Brown-Bampoe intercepted the ball, ran the length of the field, and scored an unanticipated opening try.

However, the Top 14 side, who came into the fixture on a seven-match winning run, instantly responded when Yoram Moefana sliced through some weak defending to send Lucu in untouched.

As the visitors’ second try came in, France wing Penaud was the victim of more precise attacking play from Lucu.

One of the tournament favorites held on as the Top 14 side took control, and Penaud turned in a mazy run to set up the scrum-half.

After the final play of the first half, full-back Romain Buros was injured, and 21-year-old Bielle-Biarrey was immediately introduced. With a sharp finish, the scoresheet was immediately put on hold, before hooker Lamothe dotted down from the back of a maul in the final play of the second half.

Bordeaux continued to be brutal in the second period to increase their points differential as they aim to secure top seeding despite the victory being almost certain by half-time.

The Top 14 leaders now hold the lead in pool one after Toulouse’s failure to capture a bonus-point victory over the Sharks in South Africa.

Replacements: Norey, Goodrick-Clarke, J Roots, Tuima, Tshiunza, Cairns, Haydon-Wood, Rigg.

Bordeaux: Buros, Penaud, Moefana, Van Rensburg, Uberti, Jalibert, Lucu (capt), Boniface, Lamothe, Sadie, Petti, Cazeaux, Swinton, Matiu, Tatafu.

Replacements: Latterrade, Poirot, Taufa, Ricard, Gazzotti, Vergnes-Taillefer, Bielle-Biarrey, Lesgourgues.

Red card: Taufa (69 mins)