On May 1, the RCT honored the lily of the valley, its emblem, to pick up three points from 6th place two days from the end.

The dream of qualification is still allowed to him, even if he could leave some strength on the European scene with the London Irish in six days in Mayol in the quarter-finals of the European Challenge.

For the UBB, receptions follow and resemble each other in recent weeks.

For the fifth time in a row, Christophe Urios' men folded, this time against much stronger than them.

They will have to whip a little more after the European break to ensure the Top 6, in the absence of a direct semi-final in Nice, their unacknowledged dream.

Bordeaux-Bègles scrum-half Maxime Lucu is tackled by his Toulon counterpart Baptiste Serin (d) and opener Louis Carbonel, at the end of the 24th day of the Top 14, on May 1, 2022 at the Stade Chaban- Delmas ROMAIN PERROCHEAU AFP

Despite the return of their talisman Matthieu Jalibert, who was hungry for a game after three and a half months of absence but sometimes wanted to play faster than the music, the Bordelais did not last the distance, yielding in large widths after the pause.

The opening half of Bordeaux-Bègles Matthieu Jalibert is tackled by the South African 3rd line Cornell Du Preez, at the end of the 24th day of the Top 14, on May 1, 2022 at the Stade Chaban-Delmas ROMAIN PERROCHEAU AFP

Nothing predicted it when the referee Mr. Raynal sent the thirty players back to the locker room at the break, parity in the score (16-16) was all in all logical in this indecisive and rhythmic fight.

The UBB had offered more with some awkwardness in passing and not enough fixation to unseat a superior RCT in the scrum like the right-hander Beka Gigashvili, author of a big project, and with a good foot-good eye Baptiste Serin behind his pack for his return to Chaban.

The proof with his little over to alert Aymeric Luc who caught a cold Jalibert to score (10-13, 27th) and restore the advantage to his faulty people on the previous local ball - penalty try and yellow card for Jean-Baptiste Big (25) --.

But what no one had seen coming was the Var's stranglehold on the game on the restart stifling the majority of Gironde's inclinations.

And when +Lucky+ Luc did it again with an over the top for himself, followed by a duel won in the air over his vis-à-vis Romain Buros for his personal double (61), we felt the 'UBB get down on one knee.

Franck Azéma's men then carried the blow.

Thanks to their conquering scrum, thanks to their defense letting nothing pass and collecting the penalties scored by Louis Carbonnel, for an indisputable victory.

© 2022 AFP