Champions Cup result: Baget hat-trick buries Bulls

Winger Remy Baget scored a hat-trick as Castres produced a fourth-quarter surge to demolish the Vodacom Bulls in the Investec Champions Cup match at Stade Pierre-Fabre on Saturday night.

Baget’s late spree accounted for three of Castres’ five tries in the final 16 minutes as the hosts took advantage of an inexperienced Bulls bench to win 49-10.

The Bulls took an early lead when hooker Jan-Hendrik Wessels crashed over and Boeta Chamberlain made it 7-0. Despite fielding an overhauled team, Jake White’s charges played with grit and enthusiasm to limit Castres to a try and penalty goal for a 10-7 lead at the break.

The third quarter continued in much the same way, with Castres scrumhalf Jeremy Fernandez and Bulls replacement flyhalf Jaco van der Walt trading penalties, but the tide turned irreversibly when the benches were cleared and Castres fullback Julien Dumora and All Blacks centre Jack Goodhue joined Baget in a festival of unanswered try-scoring.

The Bulls return home to face Stade Francais at Loftus Versfeld where they will need a significant bonus point victory to qualify for the Challenge Cup playoffs, while Castres travel to Saracens with a chance to top Pool 3.

This story was first published on sarugbymag.co.za. It is republished here with permission.