Sharks crash out of Champions Cup as Bordeaux run rampant with 10 tries

The Sharks could not build on their blistering start against Union Bordeaux Bègles, unfolding defensively and losing 66–12 in their final Champions Cup pool match on Sunday which turned out to be their last match in the competition.

The margin of this loss means the Sharks fall to fifth place in the pool behind Ulster, dropping into the Challenge Cup’s round of 16. They can at least take confidence that they won this second-tier tournament last season.

The Sharks scored two tries in the first eight minutes and controlled territory and possession for the first half-hour. Thereafter it was like Bordeaux became a new team, running freely and scoring tries seemingly at will.

Challenge Cup logs

The Sharks were especially helpless to stop Bordeaux winger Damian Penaud, who was their undoing time and again, scoring a mind-boggling six tries himself.

Sharks crash out of Champions Cup

Heading into the game, the Sharks only needed to lose by less than 28 points at Stade Chaban-Delmas to progress to the tournament’s round of 16.

Bordeaux’s lead reached this after 54 minutes and didn’t seem to slow down, with the Sharks not looking anywhere near scoring, something reminiscent of their performance against another French side, Toulouse, the week before.

The French had scored more than 40 points in each of their last six matches before this game, something Sharks loose forward Phepsi Buthelezi drew attention to during the week.

He said they would be ready, but they were far from it.

The Sharks were beaten in just about every scrum and maul, were hard-pressed to win their own lineouts and though they gained ground in their running, they could not undo Bordeaux’s defence aside from the two tries scored by Siya Masuku and Hakeem Kunene.

Bordeaux’s tries came thanks to Penaud (three in the first half and three in the second), captain Maxime Lucu, Ugo Boniface, Yoram Moefana, and Jacques Nguimbous.

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