Depoortère, Lucu and Bielle-Biarrey, in particular, shone. ROMAIN PERROCHEAU / AFP
The Girondins largely beat the English Saracens this Saturday in the round of 16 (45-12) and qualify for the quarter-finals.
After La Rochelle, winner of the Stormers (21-22), it is the turn of Union Bordeaux-Bègles to join the quarter-finals of the Champions Cup. Orphans of their opener Matthieu Jalibert, the Girondins did not tremble to crush the English Saracens (45-12) this Saturday in the round of 16 of the competition.
Yannick Bru’s men scored six tries, by Mateo Garcia (37th, 49th), Nicolas Depoortère (61st, 67th) and Louis Bielle-Biarrey (64th, 76th). UBB will face Harlequins in the quarter-finals next weekend in Chaban-Delmas.
Ghostly Saracens, far from their glorious past
The score could even have been much higher for Saracens, three-time European champions (2016, 2017, 2019). And for good reason, the Union Bordeaux-Bègles was refused four tries in the first act, with the conclusions of Louis Bielle-Biarrey (5th, 21st), Romain Buros (13th) and Nicolas Depoortere (30th), because of a lack of accuracy.
Opposite, Saracens never managed to worry the Girondins and waited until the 72nd minute to unlock their counter on the scoreboard thanks to a corner try from winger Alex Lewington. In the final moments, third row Tom Willis saved the honor by scoring a second try, in force. But the mass had already been said a long time ago.
