Following Saturday's 45-12 win between Bordeaux Begles and Saracens at the Stade Chaban d'Elmas, here are five takeaways from the Champions Cup clash.
top line
Bordeaux Begles put in a great performance, repeating their win from earlier in the season and once again overwhelming Saracens. On that occasion, they scored 55 points and added another 45 points in the Round of 16 of this Champions Cup to complete their century.
A try from Mateo Garcia and a penalty from Maxim Luk gave them a 10-0 lead at half-time, but the pressure was relentless and the dam finally broke in the second period. Sarries recovered in the first half, but García, Nicolas Deportaire and Louis Vier Bialei scored two goals to secure an easy victory.
It was a show full of power, pace and skill from the hosts to reach the quarter-finals and on this evidence there is no doubt they will be a threat to the title. Bordeaux next face Harlequins, but they will be rather worried about their English compatriots at Saracens as they progress to the last eight.
The power of Bordeaux overwhelms Sally
The three-time champions once fielded the biggest squad, but it's safe to say Saracens are not the team they once were. They were completely and thoroughly bullied by Bordeaux's glorious outfit, who destroyed them in almost every way.
Ben Tameifuna was outstanding in the loose, shaking off would-be tacklers with ease, but Tevita Tataf and Pete Sam also won battles on the gain line. Sam was also influential at the breakdown, as he made the visitors incredibly difficult in the contact area, alongside Maxime Lamothe.
That physicality was also on display behind the scrum, with Yoram Moefana, Damien Penault and Deportaire all having fun against the Sarries defence. The English players were completely overwhelmed due to the sheer size of the team.
Saracens held on well in the first half, but their superior physicality played a key role in the final heavy defeat. Mark McCall's side were unable to stop the flow and in the end the hosts got the try they deserved for their performance.
Saracens are kicked out of the Champions Cup by giants Bordeaux Begles in an era-ending defeat.
Owen Farrell was a bigger mistake than Matthew Jalibert
To be honest, it wouldn't have made a difference in the end result. A team that was that excited physically would probably lose, but Farrell's presence would have at least made it more of a presence.
They overlooked his decision-making skills, leadership, and ability to guide the team into the right areas. Alex Goode really struggled against the Bordeaux wall, and decent positions were usually wasted by errors after a phase or two. That compounded their problems, leaving Sarries unable to get out of their own half for significant periods of time.
As for Jalibert, he's a tremendous talent who plays much looser and takes on more running responsibilities given his athletic threat. Although Garcia doesn't have the same qualities, his ability to play more of a facilitator role was beneficial to the hosts. This allowed the dangerous back to enter the match and dominate the 80 minutes.
Bordeaux outside backs
Speaking of those backs, Penault, Moejuana, Deportaire, Biel-Bialley and Romain Bros were spectacular. This first quartet were all featured in France's recent Six Nations squad and will eventually fill in for Les Bleus in places 11-14.
There aren't any natural playmakers there – the partnership in the center is all about power and pace – but they all have incredible skill sets, so the ball rarely disappears on contact. Some of the touches on the gain line were great, the running line was great too and as a result they completely put the Saracens defense on the back foot.
Derrière une mêlée conquérante, une attaque en première main qui déchire la defense anglaise!
in an essay @nicodepoortere!! pic.twitter.com/0bL6yStKaG
— Investec Champions Cup France (@ChampionsCup_FR) April 6, 2024
The end of an era and the beginning of a new era
One thing to remember about these backs is that Pennault is the oldest player at 27 years old. Bros is 26, but the other players are under 24, with Depoorterre and Biel-Bialley barely out of their diapers at 21 and 20 respectively.
Add 25-year-old Jalibert to that mix and you have a backline that can play together for years to come. They seem to be building something special and even if they weren't good enough to win the title this season, I hope they challenge in 2024/25.
Of course, they have to get through the highly competitive Top 14, but they are currently in the top six in that competition and at this rate will strike fear into their domestic opponents.
In contrast, this is the end of an era for Saracens and will see the departure of many loyal servants, players who have been integral to their three Champions Cup wins. Farrell's departure has obviously garnered the most attention, but brothers Billy and Mako Vunipola will also be heading to pastures new.
At the moment, they are still far from being a force in Europe, so they will undergo a complete overhaul in the summer with the aim of becoming a force in Europe again.
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