Champions Cup: Bordeaux-Begles 38-26 Bath – holders progress to final

Bath boss Johann van Graan called for more “consistency” with who supplies television match official footage after he felt foul play incidents were missed in his side’s Investec Champions Cup semi-final loss to Bordeaux-Begles.

The Prem champions were outplayed by Bordeaux on France’s Atlantic coast in the English side’s first top-tier European semi-final in 20 years, a point which Van Graan acknowledged post-match.

Billed pre-game as the defending champions’ organised chaos versus Bath’s structured efficiency, Bordeaux’s style prevailed as their visitors were eventually worn down by the game’s relentless pace.

Several key decisions did not help Bath’s cause.

French TV broadcasters have been criticised by some in the past for not showing replays of certain foul play incidents or decisions that may go against the home side.

Asked if there is a problem with French broadcasters providing footage, Van Graan told BBC Sport: “Yes. All we want is consistency on both sides of the ball right through the competition.

“I believe specifically that three carries from Alfie Barbeary made direct contact to the head.

“I want to make clear that the better team won on the day, but I want to ask why certain things are not picked up when you play away from home in France.”

Had those three incidents been called in Bath’s favour, it may not have ended up affecting the result, such was the excellence of Yannick Bru’s side.

At the sold-out 42,000-seater Stade Atlantique Bordeaux Metropole, the Champions Cup holders delivered a blistering first half with tries for Marko Gazzotti, Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Maxime Lucu.

The English side were always underdogs but went blow for blow for the opening half hour, wing Will Muir twice getting on the scoresheet.

In a game of international quality the key match-ups were everywhere – Bielle-Biarrey v Henry Arundell, Matthieu Jalibert v Finn Russell – but it was young talent Louie Hennessey who got Bath’s third try at the beginning of the second half.

From there Bordeaux took over, with 23 stone-plus substitute Ben Tameifuna powering over the decisive try and Temo Matiu putting the result beyond the Prem side, despite Tom Carr-Smith’s late consolation.

Bath’s wait for another trophy in this competition will stretch to 29 years, while Bordeaux earn the chance to go back-to-back against Leinster in three weeks’ time.

Van Graan added: “Three words [points I would like to make]. Congrats to UBB, they were the better side. Number two the officials were exceptionally good today. The main point I want to make is that from a consistency point of view that where every game is played that the TMO [television match official] gets access to all the footage he wants.

“From my point of view, you want the match officials to know what they are looking at. Whatever decision a ref makes is the final call.”