Photo via BBC Sport

Gloucester and holders Bordeaux draw Champions Cup thriller

The Investec Champions Cup kicked off with a dramatic 36-all draw as Gloucester stunned defending champions Bordeaux Begles at Kingsholm. Gloucester, led by captain Tom Lake, took a commanding 24-17 lead at halftime, with tries from Jack Clark, Tom Llewellyn, and two from Joe Barton, who also added four penalties.

The momentum shifted in the second half when Gloucester’s Will Trenholm scored twice to extend their lead to 36-29, but Bordeaux’s Louis Bielle-Biarrey answered with a late try to force extra time. Neither side could break the deadlock, leaving the match tied as both teams failed to secure a decisive moment in the final minutes.

The game also served as a poignant reminder of Hyron Andrews, the late Lions lock, with a moment of silence held before kick-off in his memory. Gloucester’s early-season dominance in the Premiership added further context to their resilience against the French side, who were aiming for a third consecutive Champions Cup title.

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