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A sparkling showing from Louis Bielle-Biarrey helped Bordeaux-Begles end Toulouse’s defence of the Investec Champions Cup and set up a final meeting with Northampton.
Bielle-Biarrey, named Six Nations player of the tournament after a sublime campaign that helped France secure the title, continued his excellent club season with a two-try performance, conjuring a crucial score out of nothing at the start at the second half.
The 21-year-old phenom had already scored his first by that point, tumbling in acrobatically after a Romain Buros break to extend the hosts’ lead before the break.
Toulouse rallied through a Pierre-Louis Barassi try and Bordeaux-Begles lost young back row Marko Gazzotti to a yellow card, but late scores from Pierre Bochaton and Ben Tameifuna made certain of a 35-18 victory.
A fabulous atmosphere was created with plenty of supporters from both teams filling the cavernous Stade Matmut Atlantique on the outskirts of Bordeaux for a meeting of the top two sides in the Top 14.
Shorn of Antoine Dupont, Thomas Ramos and Blair Kinghorn due to injury, Toulouse nonetheless showcased their serious backline depth as wing Dimitri Delibes’s try and a brace of penalties from Argentina international Juan Cruz Mallia edged them ahead after an early score from Pete Samu for Bordeaux.
But then came two moments of magic from Bielle-Biarrey, causing havoc alongside club-and-country wing colleague Damian Penaud again. The youngster has now scored 30 tries in just 26 games in a superlative season.
Toulouse threatened a trademark second-half surge but passed off a number of opportunities as Bordeaux fought fiercely at the breakdown, with replacement lock Bochaton scoring 15 minutes from time before enormous tighthead Tameifuna bashed over to make certain of victory.
Bordeaux-Begles will take on Northampton, who stunned Leinster in the other Champions Cup semi-final on Saturday, in Cardiff on 24 May hoping to secure their first European title.
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