Exeter lose eight-try thriller against Bordeaux in Champions Cup
By PA Sport
Last Updated: 16/01/16 5:40pm
The Exeter Chiefs had their Champions Cup quarter-final hopes dented after a 34-27 loss at Bordeaux-Begles on Saturday,
Dave Lewis, Byron McGuigan and Max Bodilly all scored tries in a game in which Exeter mounted a second-half fightback against their French hosts, but fell short as Bordeaux claimed maximum points with a five-try performance.
Marco Tauleigne scored the winning try with nine minutes remaining after Adam Ashley-Cooper, Blair Connor, Louis-Benoit Madaule and Benat Auzqui had dotted down earlier.
The result leaves Exeter with 11 points from five matches in Pool 2, five points behind leaders Ospreys, three behind Clermont Auvergne and level with Bordeaux.
Chiefs coach Rob Baxter had made 13 changes to the side that beat Gloucester in the Aviva Premiership last week but Exeter still took the lead after just three minutes through the boot of Will Hooley.
Bordeaux then dominated possession and they took the lead with two tries in quick succession. Former Wallaby Ashley-Cooper picked up a loose ball from Julien Rey's break to cross after 13 minutes and then Connor followed just three minutes later from Pierre Bernard's pass.
Fly-half Bernard missed with both conversions to limit Bordeaux's lead to seven points, but he made amends with a 23rd-minute penalty.
Exeter then hit back against the run of play when McGuigan ran back a loose kick before sending scrum-half Lewis racing over. Hooley's conversion made it a three-point game but Bordeaux's response was immediate.
Yann Lesgourgues' burst along the left-hand touchline ended with captain Madaule driving over.
Exeter once again found a way back as Michele Campagnaro released McGuigan for a try that Hooley converted, before Hooley added a penalty to level the scores at 20-20 going into the break.
Bordeaux started the second half the better of the two sides, and were first to score when their forwards set up a driving maul from a lineout that ended with replacement hooker Auzqui touching down to hand his side the bonus point.
Exeter refused to give up and three minutes later responded again when Bodilly finished a sweeping attack. Olly Woodburn then found space before combining well with Bodilly who raced clear to score before the end of the third quarter.
Hooley's conversion tied the scores at 27-27 but the fly-half was sin-binned in the 67th minute for infringing at a ruck when Bordeaux looked threatening.
Ashley-Cooper had a second try ruled out by the video official but replacement loose forward Tauleigne broke clear a moment later for the decisive score.
Exeter had late chances and were helped when Bordeaux were reduced to 14 men for the final four minutes with a yellow card for prop Sebastien Taofifenua, but the Premiership side were unable to grab the try that may have handed them the draw.