Heineken Champions Cup: Bordeaux-Begles 13-16 Leicester Tigers - Visitors extend winning start to season

England prop Ellis Genge makes the tackle for Leicester Tigers

George Ford kicked two second-half penalties as Leicester Tigers extended their winning start to the season with victory at Bordeaux-Begles in their Heineken Champions Cup opener.

Both sides exchanged early penalties before Guy Porter scored the opening try for the visitors.

Bordeaux levelled with the final move of the first half as Jean-Baptiste Dubie ran under the posts unopposed.

Maxime Lucu kicked the hosts in front but Ford earned victory from the tee.

Premiership leaders Leicester made 10 changes to the side for their trip to France with England backs Freddie Steward and Ben Youngs among those left out.

The Tigers had won their opening 11 games in all competitions in 2021-22, and they took the early initiative against the Top 14 leaders.

The influential Ford delayed his pass momentarily to draw the Bordeaux defence before releasing Bryce Hegarty, who fed Porter for the first try.

The hosts - who won all three of their home games in the Champions Cup last season - hit back through an incisive line by Dubie.

Leicester had a try chalked off after the break as Porter was penalised for knocking on before Ford missed the opportunity to edge his side in front once more.

Bordeaux scrum-half Lucu capitalised on Ford's miskick to edge Bordeaux into the lead.

But the former England fly-half regained his rhythm to strike his next two attempts over the posts and hand Steve Borthwick's side the win.

Leicester will host Bordeaux and face Irish side Connacht home and away in their remaining games in Pool B.

'The players adapted and that was terrific' - what they said

Leicester head coach Steve Borthwick: "I am proud of the players.

"Their effort was magnificent. They came here to Bordeaux and had the courage to play a bit differently, have a go and push themselves, and they certainly did that.

"Bordeaux are a brilliant team, they have threats all over the park, and we wanted to try to challenge them in a different way. The players adapted on the pitch and that was terrific."

Teams

Bordeaux-Begles: Ducucing; Mori, Duie, Moefana, Lam; Trinh-Duc, Lucu; Poirot (capt), Maynadier, Tameifuna, Douglas, Jolmes, Woki, Vergnes, Picamoles.

Replacements: Dweba, Paiva, Kaulashvili, Roussel, Roumat, Lesgourgues, Seuteni, Cordero.

Leicester: Hegarty: Potter, Porter, Scott, Saumaki; Ford, Van Poortvliet; Genge (capt), Dolly, Heyes, Chessum, Green, Martin, Reffell, Wiese.

Replacements: Clare, Whitcombe, Cole, Wells, Van Staden, Wigglesworth, Socino, Murimurivalu

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