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Bordeaux-Begles backups edge Pau to close in on Top 14 summit / Photo: © 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.
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.
P. da Silva--JDB
