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Gloucester vs Bordeaux ends 36-36 as Bielle-Biarrey double rescues the holders

Louis Bielle-Biarrey's second try, converted by Maxime Lucu, cancelled out a Will Trenholm double on a night that began with a minute's silence for Lions lock Hyron Andrews.

Follow-up to Gloucester vs Bordeaux: Ben Tameifuna picked at lock for Champions Cup opener

By RuckBee Newsroom2 min read
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Bordeaux Bègles needed a converted try from Louis Bielle-Biarrey to start their Champions Cup title defence with a 36-36 draw at Kingsholm on Friday 16 October. Gloucester were seven points clear in the second half of the opening match of the 2026-27 tournament.

The holders are chasing a third Champions Cup title in a row. They have not lost a match in the competition since Harlequins beat them in a quarter-final in April 2024, and that record only just survived a 10-try game in Gloucester.

A quiet start to a loud night

The evening began quietly. Before kick-off there was a minute's silence for Lions lock Hyron Andrews, who died on Friday 16 October aged 31. The Lions have chosen to play their Champions Cup match against La Rochelle on Saturday 17 October in his honour.

Bordeaux scored first. Scrumhalf Martin Page-Relo crossed in the fourth minute, but Gloucester went in 24-17 up at half-time.

Trenholm double not enough

The second half swung both ways. Gloucester replacement Will Trenholm scored two tries in quick succession to put his side 36-29 ahead.

Bielle-Biarrey replied quickly. The Bordeaux wing went over for his second try of the night and Maxime Lucu's conversion levelled the scores at 36-36.

Gloucester still had a chance to win it. Late in the game they kicked a penalty to touch rather than go for the posts, and Bordeaux won the ball back at the lineout.

Arthur Clark, Max Llewellyn, George Barton and Trenholm, with two, scored Gloucester's tries, and Barton added four conversions and a penalty. For Bordeaux, Page-Relo, Sipili Falatea, Pablo Uberti and Bielle-Biarrey, with two, scored the tries, and Lucu kicked four conversions and a penalty, the same as Barton.

What they said

George Skivington focused on how Gloucester recovered after falling behind. "To be leading for large chunks of the game, to go behind and come back to lead again shows massive character," he said.

For Ben Tameifuna, the story was in the difference between the two halves. "We let ourselves down in the first half but our attitude in the second half was much better," he said.

All the scores from the opening round are on our rugby results page.

Sources

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