UBB Rugby Explodes In 2nd Half Vs. Ulster In Champions Cup Round 2
UBB Rugby Explodes In 2nd Half Vs. Ulster In Champions Cup Round 2
Union Bordeaux-Begles traveled to Belfast and picked up a tough road win over Ulster in Round 2 of the Investec Champions Cup
UBB Rugby found itself trailing at times against Ulster as the Belfast crowd pushed for what would have been one of the biggest upsets of the Investec Champions Cup.
But the undermanned Ulster club, missing Jacob Stockdale, couldn't keep up with the talented club from Bordeaux. UBB exploded in the final 40 minutes, scoring 26 unanswered points to win 40-19 at Kingspan Stadium on Dec. 14.
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Trailing 19-14 at half, all-world winger Damian Penaud led the surge with a try in the 61st minute and a confident Joey Carbery converted to give UBB its first lead. From there it was all Bordeaux.
UBB moves to 2-0-0 in Champions Cup play while Ulster is 0-0-2 after opening with the top-two Top 14 clubs, Toulouse in Round 1 and UBB.
First Half Was High-Scoring And Tense As Ulster Came To Play
UBB started quickly, with Tevita Tatafu crossing the line in the 2nd minute, converted by Joey Carbery, to take an early 7-0 lead. Ulster responded immediately, with Cormac Izuchukwu scoring in the 6th minute, and Nathan Doak’s conversion tied the match at 7-7.
Ulster took the lead in the 16th minute when Nick Timoney powered over for a try, converted by Doak, making it 14-7. Bordeaux responded with a penalty try in the 27th minute after Dave McCann was yellow-carded for Ulster, leveling the score at 14-14.
As halftime approached, Ulster regained the lead through a try by Werner Kok, though Doak missed the conversion. The hosts led 19-14 at the break.
Bordeaux Dominate In Second Half
The second half was all Bordeaux. Damian Penaud scored a try in the 61st minute, converted by Carbery, to tie the game at 19-19. Guido Petti added another try six minutes later, with Matéo Garcia’s conversion putting UBB ahead 26-19.
Louis Bielle-Biarrey extended Bordeaux’s lead in the 71st minute, and Garcia converted to make it 33-19. Ugo Boniface sealed the victory with a try in the 78th minute, though Garcia missed the conversion, leaving the final score at 40-19.
Ulster vs. UBB Rugby Scoring Summary
Bordeaux-Bègles: Tries: Tatafu (2’), Penalty Try (27’), Penaud (61’), Petti (67’), Bielle-Biarrey (71’), Boniface (78’); Conversions: Carbery (2’, 61’), Garcia (67’, 71’)
Ulster Rugby: Tries: Izuchukwu (6’), Timoney (16’), Kok (40’); Conversions: Doak (6’, 16’)
What's Next For UBB, Ulster Rugby In Champions Cup?
Bordeaux travels to Exeter in January for Round 3, while Ulster will look to rally in Champions Cup play with a match at Leicester.
Investec Champions Cup 2024-2025 Round 1 Results
- La Rochelle 24, Bath Rugby 20
- ASM Clermont Auvergne 28, Benetton Rugby 0
- Hollywoodbets Sharks 39 Exeter Chiefs 21
- Northampton Saints 38, Castres Olympique 8
- RC Toulon 24, DHL Stormers 14
- Munster Rugby 33, Stade Francais Paris 7
- Saracens 27, Vodacom Bulls 5
- Glasgow Warriors 38, Sale Sharks 19
- Racing 92 23, Harlequins 12
- Union Bordeaux-Bègles 42, Leicester Tigers 28
- Stade Toulousain 54, Ulster Rugby 21
- Leinster Rugby 35, Bristol Bears 12
Investec Champions Cup Fixtures In Round 2
All Times Eastern.
- Sale Sharks 29, vs. Racing 92 7
- Castres Olympique 16 vs. Munster Rugby 14
- Northampton Saints 30, Vodacom Bulls 21
- Union Bordeaux-Bègles 40, Ulster Rugby 19
- Leinster Rugby vs. ASM Clermont Auvergne, Sat, Dec 14, 2024, 12:30 PM, Aviva Stadium
- Leicester Tigers vs. Hollywoodbets Sharks, Sat, Dec 14, 2024, 12:30 PM, Mattioli Woods Welford Road
- Stade Rochelais vs. Bristol Bears, Sat, Dec 14, 2024, 3 PM, Stade Marcel Deflandre
- Harlequins vs. DHL Stormers, Sat, Dec 14, 2024, 3 PM, Twickenham Stoop
- RC Toulon vs. Glasgow Warriors, Sun, Dec 15, 2024, 8 AM, Stade Felix Mayol
- Benetton Rugby vs. Bath Rugby, Sun, Dec 15, 2024, 8 AM, Stadio Monigo
- Stade Francais Paris vs. Saracens, Sun, Dec 15, 2024, 10:15 AM, Stade Jean Bouin
- Exeter Chiefs vs. Stade Toulousain, Sun, Dec 15, 2024, 12:30 PM, Sandy Park
Investec Champions Cup Fixtures In Round 3
- Glasgow Warriors vs. Racing 92, Fri, Jan 10, 2025, 3 PM, Scotstoun Stadium
- DHL Stormers vs. Sale Sharks, Sat, Jan 11, 2025, 8 AM, DHL Stadium
- Exeter Chiefs vs. Union Bordeaux-Bègles, Sat, Jan 11, 2025, 10:15 AM, Sandy Park
- Hollywoodbets Sharks vs. Stade Toulousain, Sat, Jan 11, 2025, 10:15 AM, Hollywoodbets Kings Park
- Munster Rugby vs. Saracens, Sat, Jan 11, 2025, 12:30 PM, Thomond Park
- Stade Francais Paris vs. Northampton Saints, Sat, Jan 11, 2025, 12:30 PM, Stade Jean Bouin
- Leicester Tigers vs. Ulster Rugby, Sat, Jan 11, 2025, 3 PM, Mattioli Woods Welford Road
- Castres Olympique vs. Vodacom Bulls, Sat, Jan 11, 2025, 3 PM, Stade Pierre-Fabre
- RC Toulon vs. Harlequins, Sun, Jan 12, 2025, 8 AM, Stade Felix Mayol
- Stade Rochelais vs. Leinster Rugby, Sun, Jan 12, 2025, 10:15 AM, Stade Marcel Deflandre
- Bristol Bears vs. Benetton Rugby, Sun, Jan 12, 2025, 10:15 AM, Ashton Gate
- Bath Rugby vs. ASM Clermont Auvergne, Sun, Jan 12, 2025, 12:30 PM, The Rec
Investec Champions Cup Fixtures In Round 4
- Ulster Rugby vs. Exeter Chiefs, Fri, Jan 17, 2025, 3 PM, Kingspan Stadium
- Vodacom Bulls vs. Stade Francais Paris, Sat, Jan 18, 2025, 8 AM, Loftus Versfeld
- Northampton Saints vs. Munster Rugby, Sat, Jan 18, 2025, 10:15 AM, cinch Stadium @ Franklin's Gardens
- ASM Clermont Auvergne vs. Bristol Bears, Sat, Jan 18, 2025, 10:15 AM, Stade Marcel-Michelin
- Benetton Rugby vs. Stade Rochelais, Sat, Jan 18, 2025, 12:30 PM, Stadio Monigo
- Leinster Rugby vs. Bath Rugby, Sat, Jan 18, 2025, 12:30 PM, Aviva Stadium
- Harlequins vs. Glasgow Warriors, Sat, Jan 18, 2025, 3 PM, Twickenham Stoop
- Racing 92 vs. DHL Stormers, Sat, Jan 18, 2025, 3 PM, Paris La Defense Arena
- Union Bordeaux-Bègles vs. Hollywoodbets Sharks, Sun, Jan 19, 2025, 8 AM, Stade Chaban-Delmas
- Saracens vs. Castres Olympique, Sun, Jan 19, 2025, 10:15 AM, StoneX Stadium
- Stade Toulousain vs. Leicester Tigers, Sun, Jan 19, 2025, 10:15 AM, Stade Ernest Wallon
- Sale Sharks vs. RC Toulon, Sun, Jan 19, 2025, 12:30 PM, Salford Community Stadium
Investec Champions Cup Format
Key points of the 2024-2025 Investec Champions Cup:
- A multi-pool format, as launched in the 2023-2024 season
- 24 elite clubs - eight each from the Gallagher Premiership, URC and TOP 14 - in four pools of six
- Sporting jeopardy, with each club playing against four different opponents, home or away, in the pool stage
- Four highest-ranked clubs in each pool qualify for the Round of 16
- The Investec Champions Cup will be played over eight weekends, with four pool rounds and four knockout rounds culminating in the 2025 final, which will be staged at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on Saturday, May 24.
Investec Champions Cup Weekends
- Round 1 – 6/7/8 December 2024
- Round 2 – 13/14/15 December 2024
- Round 3 – 10/11/12 January 2025
- Round 4 – 17/18/19 January 2025
- Round of 16 – 4/5/6 April 2025
- Quarter-finals – 11/12/13 April 2025
- Semi-finals – 2/3/4 May 2025
- 2025 Investec Champions Cup final – Saturday, May 24, Principality Stadium, Cardiff
Champions Cup Qualifications
Twenty-four clubs have qualified for the 2024-2025 Investec Champions Cup as follows:
- United Rugby Championship (8): The eight highest-ranked clubs based on their final finishing positions.
- TOP 14 (8): The eight highest-ranked clubs based on their final finishing positions.
- Gallagher Premiership Rugby (8): The eight highest-ranked clubs based on their final finishing positions.
- If not already qualified, the winner of the 2024 Investec Champions Cup will take the place of the eighth-ranked club in its league.
Investec Champions Cup Qualifiers
- TOP 14 – Stade Toulousain, Union Bordeaux-Bègles, Stade Français Paris, RC Toulon, Stade Rochelais, Racing 92, Castres Olympique, ASM Clermont Auvergne
- GALLAGHER PREMIERSHIP – Northampton Saints, Bath Rugby, Sale Sharks, Saracens, Bristol Bears, Harlequins, Exeter Chiefs, Leicester Tigers
- UNITED RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP – Glasgow Warriors, Vodacom Bulls, Munster Rugby, Leinster Rugby, DHL Stormers, Ulster Rugby, Benetton Rugby, Hollywoodbets Sharks
When Does The 2024-2025 Investec Champions Cup Begin? When Is The Champions Cup Final?
The Investec Champions Cup and the EPCR Challenge Cup begin Dec. 6, and the four-round pool-play action ends Jan. 19, 2025. The Round of 16 starts on April 4, while the quarterfinals are April 11-13. The semifinals are May 2-4.
The EPCR Championships weekend is in Cardiff, Wales at Principality Stadium. There are championship games on May 23 (EPCR Challenge Cup) and May 24 (Investec Champions Cup).
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