Reus sends Bordeaux second in Top 14 with victory at La Rochelle

Hugo Reus (Icon Sport). Alamy Stock Photo

Defeat sees Ronan O’Gara’s side stay fourth after seven rounds.

FLY-HALF HUGO REUS kicked 20 points to help Bordeaux-Begles to a 25-19 win at La Rochelle on Sunday which lifts them into second place in the Top 14.

Reus was on target with six penalties and converted a try by Carlu Sadie as Bordeaux clung on for a valiant win away from home against Ronan O’Gara’s side who stay fourth after seven rounds.

Bordeaux have 23 points, five behind leaders Toulouse and one ahead of third-placed Pau.

The visitors had the better of the first half, but their pressure was rewarded only with a Reus penalty before South African prop Sadie burrowed over from close range for the first try of the game.

Reus converted and added two more penalties to open up a 13-0 lead just after half an hour.

La Rochelle finally mounted their first serious attack five minutes before the break, which resulted in a long pass from Springbok lock Salmaan Moerat, making his first start for the Atlantic side, putting in Samoan international Theo McFarland for the try.

The trusty Reus’ boot, however, pinged over a fourth penalty to make it 19-7 at half-time.

La Rochelle drew first blood in the second half when Simeli Daunivucu popped the ball up for fellow centre Semi Lagivala to drive through for his first try of the season.

Two more Reus penalties opened up the gap again before replacement back Andy Timo touched down for La Rochelle two minutes from time.

Eighteen-year-old scrum-half Valentin Bouju, who was press-ganged into goal-kicking duties after Antoine Hastoy was helped off with an ankle injury, sent his touchline conversion just wide of the post which meant La Rochelle missed out on a defensive bonus point.

On Saturday, champions Toulouse cemented their lead at the top with a 38-33 win over Perpignan while Pau, who started the day in second, slipped up 41-20 at Toulon for whom Melvyn Jaminet scored 26 points, including the first hat-trick of his career.

Newly-promoted Vannes collected their first win of the season when former France full-back Anthony Bouthier landed an 80th-minute conversion to seal a 27-26 victory over Clermont.