(Reuters) -Bordeaux Begles booked their place in this season’s Top 14 final after a hat-trick of tries from hooker Maxime Lamothe helped seal a 39-24 win over Toulon on Saturday, setting up a showdown with champions Toulouse.
The decider in Paris next Saturday is a repeat of last year’s one-sided final in which Toulouse romped to a 59-3 victory.
Toulouse are seeking a third successive Top 14 title, and record-extending 24th championship overall, while Bordeaux, winners of the European Champions Cup this season, are bidding for their first.
After Bordeaux and Toulon traded early penalties, the former took the lead when a driving maul was brought to a halt. They worked the ball through the phases before centre Nicolas Depoortere spotted a gap in the defence and dotted down.
Bordeaux extended their advantage with a second score as Lamothe burst through several tackles and powered his way over the tryline.
Toulon hit back just before the break to make the halftime score 15-10 when centre Leicester Fainga’Anuku profited from a line-break by flyhalf Paolo Garbisi to run in a simple try.
When Lamothe bagged his second try early in the second period, however, diving in under the posts after being fed by Yoram Moefana, the momentum swung Bordeaux's way again.
Toulon’s cause was not helped by a yellow card shown to lock Matthias Halagahu for a delivered knock-down, and when winger Damian Penaud and Lamothe added two more scores in quick succession the game was over as a contest.
Winger Setariki Tuicuvu and prop Beka Gigashvili managed a consolation tries for Toulon, but it was too little too late for the four-times champions.
(Reporting by Nick Said, editing by Ed Osmond)
