Pollock did not play badly. Not one of the Northampton gamers did.
The 20-year-old made extra metres than some other ahead on the pitch. He turned over one ball within the shadow of his personal posts and was a key a part of a heroic rearguard.
For a lot of the second half, Northampton defended their line like they’d been backed as much as a cliff edge.
On the different finish, Pollock twice streaked away for scores that had the Principality’s rafters rattling and threatened to show Saints’ resistance into all-out rise up.
On each events although, the overworked tv match official stepped in to rule them out.
The scores did not stand. And by the ultimate whistle, on the scene of their sucker-punch remaining defeat by Leinster in 2011, neither did Saints.
Their path to victory was all the time a skinny and threatening one.
Captain Fraser Dingwall had defined earlier within the week that his aspect wanted to maintain the tempo excessive and ball transferring to tire out Bordeaux’s heavy brigade up entrance.
He admitted although that doing so flirted with one other hazard.
As a result of Bordeaux’s backline, marshalled by the quicksilver Mathieu Jalibert and laced with the tempo of Penaud and Louis Bielle-Biarrey, is essentially the most harmful within the competitors off turnover ball and in damaged subject.
No opposition had managed to strike that stability efficiently towards them up to now.
Bordeaux scored a median of 42 factors a recreation within the knockout phases. They averaged greater than eight tries a recreation within the swimming pools. Seven video games, seven resounding wins.
No-one had even obtained shut.
Saints although did get shut.
After a helter-skelter first half, they have been stage at 20-20. A mix of a quick begin, a few glitchy kicks from Jalibert, some doughty defence and a readiness to go toe-to-toe with Bordeaux for ambition purchased them parity.
When Pollock bolted by means of for a rating that by no means was early within the second half, it felt just like the underdogs might need their day.
Bordeaux although had come ready.
Northampton’s try to empty their batteries was foiled by a Bordeaux bench buzzing with energy and 6 forwards. As they unloaded their replacements, Northampton have been squeezed again into their very own half.
Saints’ plan was additionally undermined by a scarcity of luck and self-discipline.
Accidents to James Ramm and George Furbank within the first 5 minutes robbed them of two of their again three and a few fluidity.
Early within the second half a yellow card for alternative Ed Prowse, for going excessive on Yoram Moefana, put them on the again foot.
Marius Jonker’s South African tones usually interrupted play in addition to the TMO helped out with hairline calls, giving Bordeaux time to catch their breath.
