Top 14 Round 5: Bordeaux-Begle up to fifth after 27-21 win over Montpellier
Last Updated: 15/09/14 2:27pm
Bordeaux-Begles climbed to fifth place in the Top 14 standings on Sunday thanks to a hard-fought 27-21 victory over Montpellier.
Pierre Bernard kicked 17 points as UBB made the most of an ill-disciplined Montpellier side, the Bordeaux pack showing a steely grit at the set-piece and breakdown to deny the visitors a losing bonus point.
The turning point of a high-paced and exciting game came in the 67th minute when, with the scores level at 21-all, Montpellier wing Rene Ranger was shown a yellow card for a high tackle.
Unbeaten at home this season, Bordeaux-Begles led 18-11 at the interval thanks to tries from Fijian wing Metuisela Talebula and South African lock Jandre Marais.
Montpellier replied via a try from former French international Benjamin Fall but the visitors were made to pay for their mistakes by the accurate boot of UBB fly-half Pierre Bernard.
Fall's second try allowed Francois Trinh-Duc to lebel the scores with the conversion on the hour mark.
But two Bernard penalties in closing stages sealed the win for the hosts and denied Montpellier a losing bonus point for finishing within five in the process.
