Champions Cup Pool 2: Bordeaux-Begles v ASM Clermont Auvergne, 15 November

PREVIEW: Bordeaux-Begles back in the big time

It is so long ago that Rapahel Ibanez' Bordeaux-Begles side last played in the European Cup that they were called by a different name and none of the players are still playing.

You have to go back to 7 November, 1998, for Bordeaux's last game in the top flight of European club rugby - to a 34-21 pool defeat to Stade Francais in Paris. In those days the club was known as Begles-Bordeaux and was in its second, and final, season in the European Cup.

Final, that is, until director of rugby Ibanez found a way to raise his side's game to beat Challenge Cup winners Gloucester Rugby in the play-off for the final place in the Champions Cup. Their 23-22 victory at Sixways came courtesy of a last gasp drop goal from Pierre Bernard.

Now they are back on the main stage and, having ended their European Cup career against French opposition 17 years ago, they resume in Round 1 of the Champions Cup with a clash with the mighty ASM Clermont Auvergne.

For the record, the last Bordeaux-Begles team to play at this level was:
Begles-Bordeaux (v Stade Francais, 7 November, 1998): J Souverbie; A Bouyssie, T Ossard, J Berthe, R MacDonald; P Fauthoux, G Accoceberry; P Collazo, M de Rougemont, O Sourgens, O Brouzet, D Gerard, C Dongieu, L Loppy, M Barrague

Table-topping Clermont found Bordeaux a bit of a handful when they arrived at Stade Marcel Michelin in September. That game went to the wire before ending in a 26-26 draw.

Ibanez' side sit in seventh place in the Top 14 and have only lost once at home to date, an agonising 24-22 defeat to Montpellier. On the plus side, they have beaten Castres Olympique, La Rochelle and Toulouse at Stade Chaban-Delmas so far this term and are ready to make an impact.

Match Facts
•Bordeaux-Bègles have lost both previous games against French opposition in the Champions Cup, however those defeats both came in 1998 (v Stade Francais Paris).
•Bordeaux-Bègles have two wins and a draw to their name from four matches on home soil in the competition.
•Clermont lost their last game against Toulon in the 2014/15 Final, but won six in a row in the competition before that.
•Clermont have won 18 of their last 20 pool games however one of their two defeats in that run came at the hands of French opposition (Racing 92).
•Clermont have won nine of their last 11 matches away from home in the Champions Cup but have only beaten French teams on the road once from six attempts.

yappysnap wrote:Why did UBB sack their backs coach if he was doing a good job with the rubbing rugby?!