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Madigan kicked five of his six penalty attempts. UBB Rugby/Twitter
Dream Debut

Ian Madigan kicks 5 penalties to guide Bordeaux to win over Racing on Top 14 debut

The Ireland out-half enjoyed a dream debut for his new side.

Bordeaux-Begles 15
Racing 92 9

John Fallon reports from Stade Chaban-Delmas

IAN MADIGAN WAS the hero on his debut as Bordeaux-Begles scored a deserved win over Top 14 champions Racing 92 in the opening game of the new season.

Madigan, who kicked five from six and ran the game well at out-half, was given a huge ovation by the huge home following as they started the season on a high.

Madigan had Bordeaux-Begles on the front foot from the outset as they showed a good willingness to run the ball, with former Clontarf scrum-half James Hart, making his debut for Racing after his move from Grenoble, doing enough to deny huge prop Sebastien Taofifenua on the line.

Madigan’s first kick at the posts for his new club could hardly have been more difficult but he struck it superbly from 42 metres on the right wing to edge Bordeaux in front after 13 minutes.

Dan Carter displayed the legs of a youngster to sprint back and deny winger Nans Ducuing a breakaway try.

Madigan doubled Bordeaux’s lead nine minutes from the break with a routine penalty in front of the posts.

Carter surprisingly missed his first kick from 38 metres in front of the posts but then landed a difficult one from outside the 22 wide on the left to leave it 6-3 at the break on a perfect night for rugby with over 20,000 in the old Bordeaux stadium.

Madigan made it three from three four minutes after the restart when he converted a penalty from 41 metres, but Racing responded well and Carter cut the gap to three going into the final quarter.

Madigan had the home crowd on their feet 14 minutes from time when he landed a penalty from 43 metres to make it 12-6.

Racing hit back and Carter converted a trademark penalty from the right to leave just three between them once again.

Bordeaux held out despite having captain Loise-Benoit Madaule red-carded for a tip tackle on Racing full-back Brice Dulin, with Madigan narrowly missing from inside his own half with the final penalty of the night.

Bordeaux-Begles scorers: Pens: I Madigan (4)

Racing Metro scorers:

Pens: D Carter (3)

Bordeaux-Begles: Jean Marcellin Buttin; Nans Ducuing (Rey 41), Jean Bapiste Dubie (Julien Rey 22-35), Romain Lonca, Blair Connor; Ian Madigan, Yann Lesgourgues (Baptiste Serin 59); Sebastien Taofifenua (Jefferson Poirot 45), Ronan Chambord (Benat Auzqui 53), Vadim Cobilas (Marc Clerc 49); Luke Jones, Jandre Marais (Cyril Cazeaux 67); Louis-Benoit Madaule, Luke Braid (Hugh Chalmers 56), Loann Goujon.

Racing 92: Brice Dulin; Joe Rokocoko, Henry Chavancy, Albert Vulivuli, Marc Andreu (Casey Laulau 56); Dan Carter, James Hart (Xavier Chauveau 56); Viliamu Afatia (Julien Brugnaut 49), Dimitri Szarzewski (Virgile Lacombe 61), Ben Tameifuna (Luke Ducalcon 50); Manuel Carizza (Thibault Dubarry 76), Francois van der Merwe (Alexandre Williams 50); Wencelas Lauret, Olivier Missoup, Antonie Claassen.

Referee: Pascal Gauzere.

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