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Bordeaux-Begles backups edge Pau to close in on Top 14 summit
Bordeaux-Begles backups edge Pau to close in on Top 14 summit / Photo: XAVIER LEOTY - AFP

Bordeaux-Begles backups edge Pau to close in on Top 14 summit

Bordeaux-Begles rested a dozen of the starters from last week's Champions Cup quarter-final but still eked out a 26-22 win at Pau on Saturday to cement their grip on second in the Top 14.

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Pau took the lead three times but the visitors kept hitting back.

One of the three holdovers from the European victory over Munster, France winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey, scored the crucial try by accelerating past the home defence to finish a dazzling 80-metre counter-attack after 68 minutes.

Irish fly-half Joey Carbery converted to take his match tally to 11 points and put Bordeaux-Begles 22-21 ahead.

Mateo Garcia booted a 53-metre penalty in the last minute to ice the win.

Prop Sipili Falatea had scored the other try for Bordeaux-Begles after 48 minutes. Lock Jimi Maximin replied 10 minutes later to put Pau ahead for the last time.

Bordeaux-Begles moved a point behind their Champions Cup semi-final opponents Toulouse, who visit Racing 92 on Sunday, and pulled six points ahead of third-placed Toulon, who host Clermont in Saturday's late game.

They drew 15 points clear of fourth-placed Bayonne, losers by a point at La Rochelle, who won for the first time since January 4.

La Rochelle ended a run of nine straight losses in all competitions by scraping a nervous 29-28 victory.

The hosts led 16-8 at half time but seemed to be reliving recent collapses when they fell behind 19-25 after 57 minutes.

France captain Gregory Alldritt scored the crucial try when he battered over on 70 minutes, immediately after Bayonne had been reduced to 14 men by a yellow card for Facundo Bosch.

E.Ramalho--PC