Ahead of Saturday’s Heineken Champions Cup game against Bordeaux at the Stade Chaban-Delmas in France, we turn back the clock for a #ThrowbackThursday and look back at our victory over Bordeaux-Begles in 2013….
Dragons 40-24 Bordeaux-Begles - December 6th, 2013
Welsh international Hallam Amos shone in a Rodney Parade romp as the Dragons defeated French side Bordeaux Begles on home soil.
The 19-year-old, who made his Wales debut against Tonga a month earlier, scored one try and set up two others as the Dragons run rings around the giant Frenchmen.
Lyn Jones got his tactics spot on against the physical French side to move the Dragons above Bath at the top of Pool 3.
Three first half tries from Patrick Leach, Matthew Pewtner and Amos gave the Dragons a 12-point half time lead before Toby Faletau and Ashley Smith tries after the break sealed the win.
Jones made eight changes from the side who narrowly lost to Munster the previous week and his side showed their intention to pass Bordeaux off the park right from the first whistle.
On seven minutes they got the game’s opening try after good hands from Wayne Evans and Jason Tovey put centre Leech over in the corner.
Less than two minutes later Scrum half Evans made a swift break down the touchline, fed Faletau on his inside shoulder and he sent wing Matthew Pewtner clear to score.
Bordeaux scrum half Manu Saubusse missed the chance to claw some points back with a penalty on 12 minutes but made up for it 10 minutes later with an easier kick from close range.
Jones’ men continued to look dangerous when they moved the ball at pace and after weathering 20 minutes of pressure they got their third score.
Rising star Amos picked a great line to take a short ball off Evans and burst through the gap to score, with Tovey adding the extras.
Bordeaux did manage to hit back before the break and it was no surprise when their first try for prop Jefferson Poirot came from a driving line-out when the Dragons had been penalised after coming under immense pressure at the scrum.
A Tovey penalty on the stroke of half-time extended their lead to 12 and another five minutes after the break gave them a healthy cushion.
But the visitors refused to roll over and after changing their entire front row they were awarded a penalty try when the Dragons gave away three quick penalties at the scrum five metres from the line.
If anyone was expecting the Dragons to crumble under the weight of the Bordeaux forwards they were to be disappointed as the home side needed just two minutes to hit back.
Once again it was Amos at the heart of things, the youngster using his speed to break the Bordeaux line before finding Faletau who showed an equally impressive turn of pace to go under the posts.
Amos had a hand in the Dragons’ final try as he created space for Smith to cross seven minutes from time.
A late try from replacement Jean-Baptiste Lamotte meant the Dragons had to do some defending to prevent the visitors getting a bonus point but importantly the home side held out.
Dragons: Daniel Evans, Matthew Pewtner, Pat Leach, Ashley Smith, Hallam Amos, Jason Tovey, Wayne Evans; Hugh Gustafson, Sam Parry, Dan Way, Andrew Coombs (c), Matthew Screech, Lewis Evans, Nic Cudd, Toby Faletau.
Replacements: Elliot Dee, Owen Evans, Nathan Buck, Rob Sidoli, Ieuan Jones, Richie Rees, Kris Burton, Ross Wardle.
Bordeaux-Begles: Joaquim Tuculet, Robert Lilomaiava, Charles Brousse, Thibault Lacroix, Rafael Carballo, Romain Lonca, Manu Saubusse, Jefferson Poirot, Benat Auzqui, Benjamin Sa, Cameron Treloar, Aliki Fakate, Gauthier Gibouin (c), Matthew Graham, Poutasi Luafutu.
Replacements: Jean-Charles Fidinde, Laurent Del Boulbes, Patrick Toetu, Adam Jaulhac, Jean-Blaise Lespinasse, Baptiste Serin, Gilem Queheille, Jean-Baptiste Lamotte.
