Six-try Bordeaux beat Munster to reach last four

Louis Bielle-Biarrey scored Bordeaux's final try

Bordeaux (29) 47

Tries: Penaud, Lucu, Samu, Echegaray, Lamothe, Bielle-Biarrey Cons: Jalibert 3, Lucu Pens: Jalibert 3

Munster (10) 29

Tries: Nankivell, Smith 2, penalty try Con: Crowley 2 Pen: Crowley

Bordeaux scored six tries to hold off stubborn Munster at Stade Chaban-Delmas and reach the Investec Champions Cup semi-finals.

After the high of edging past La Rochelle in a last-16 classic last weekend, Munster were blown away by a devastating Bordeaux attack in the first half as Damian Penaud, Maxime Lucu, Pete Samu and Jon Echegaray all crossed.

To their credit, Munster battled through a sluggish display and scored four tries through Alex Nankivell, Stephen Smith (2) and a penalty try.

However, the half-time deficit proved too big to overcome as Maxime Lamothe and Louis Bielle-Biarrey ensured Bordeaux's progression despite Cyril Cazeaux's dismissal for two yellow card offences.

Bordeaux, who have never won the Champions Cup, will face the winners of Sunday's quarter-final between Toulouse and Toulon (15:00 BST), guaranteeing French representation in the final for the sixth season running.

Having conjured immense emotion and belief to down a La Rochelle unit coached by Munster icon Ronan O'Gara, producing another vintage display in the south of France was always going to be difficult for the Irish province as they bid to join Leinster in the semi-finals.

And so it proved. Munster looked tired and sloppy, and as their line-out deserted them, Bordeaux took full advantage and effectively put the result beyond doubt after 33 minutes.

Bielle-Biarrey, the Six Nations player of the tournament, was reinstalled to the Bordeaux line-up after missing last week's win over Ulster.

However, it was another prolific France wing who got the hosts up and running as Penaud latched on to Matthieu Jalibert's grubber kick to finish in the corner for his 12th try in this season's competition.

From there, Penaud - whose stunning haul in this campaign includes a six-try display against the Sharks - turned provider. First, he left the Munster defence in his wake to set up Lucu before teeing up Samu, who finished off a flowing Bordeaux move in style.

Echegaray quickly added a fourth, and while Munster appeared shell-shocked, Nankivell marked his return from suspension with a much-needed try to give the Irish side a glimmer of hope.

Penaud has scored 12 tries in six Champions Cup games this season

Despite line-out issues and a 19-point deficit, Munster refused to throw in the towel, and after Cazeaux was sin-binned for a build-up of Bordeaux infringements, Smith latched on to his own kick to score Munster's second.

Munster's slim hopes were not helped, however, when Tom Ahern's yellow card was followed swiftly by Lamothe's try, which was awarded following a television match official review to determine if the hooker grounded the ball at the end of Bordeaux's driving maul.

Even that did not crush Munster with the next two tries awarded to the men in red, the first a penalty try for a deliberate knock-on that resulted in an Echegaray yellow card before Smith's second left 11 points in it.

With Echegaray in the bin and Cazeaux dismissed for a second yellow card offence, Munster had the opportunity to put their 13-men hosts under pressure.

But after the impressive Lucu stopped Thaakir Abrahams with a vital tackle at one, Bielle-Biarrey ran clear and scored his 27th try in 23 games for club and country this season to seal Bordeaux's place in the last four and end Munster's hopes of a third European title.

Line-ups

Bordeaux: J Echegaray; D Penaud, Y Moeffana, J Van Rensburg, L Bielle-Biarrey; M Jalibert, M Lucu (capt); J Poirot, M Lamothe, B Tameifuna; A Coleman, C Cazeaux; M Diaby, G Petti, P Samu.

Replacements: C Sa, M Perchaud, S Falatea, P Bochaton, M Gazzotti, B Vergnes-Taillefer, Y Lesgourgues, P Uberti.

Sin-bin: Cazeaux (46), Echegaray (67)

Munster: T Abrahams; C Nash, T Farrell, A Nankivell, A Smith; J Crowley, C Casey; J Wycherley, D Barron, O Jager; J Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne (capt); P O'Mahony, J Hodnett, G Coombes.

Replacements: N Scannell, M Donnelly, S Archer, F Wycherley, T Ahern, C Murray, S O'Brien, A Kendellen.

Sin-bin: Ahern (54), Kendellen (63)

Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)