Stade Rochelais beat Union Bordeaux-Bègles 31-13 in the first leg of their Heineken Champions Cup Round of 16 clash on Saturday as the two TOP 14 sides met in European competition for the first time ever at Stade Chaban-Delmas. Raymond Rhule and Jonathan Danty dotted down for La Rochelle, with the visitors then handed an extra seven points when they were awarded a penalty try by referee Matthew Carley. Bordeaux’s tries came through Cameron Woki and Federico Mori, with Maxime Lucu kicking a first half penalty for the hosts. The result means that Christophe Urios’ side now have it all to do as they head to next Saturday’s second leg at Stade Marcel-Deflandre looking to overcome an 18-point deficit. Ihaia West broke the deadlock at Stade Chaban-Delmas with a tenth-minute penalty for La Rochelle, but they were quickly pegged back by Bordeaux as Lucu responded with a penalty of his own just two minutes later. Rhule then scored La Rochelle’s first try of the afternoon as he sprinted past Bordeaux’s Louis Picamoles for his third Heineken Champions Cup try of the season. West then gave the visitors a 10-point lead going into the interval as he kicked another penalty for Ronan O’Gara’s men just before half time. In the second half, West added another penalty for the visitors, before Woki dotted down for Bordeaux’s first try of the game to give Urios’ side a lifeline. However, Woki’s fellow France international Danty restored La Rochelle’s 13-point lead shortly after when he was found on the right flank by a fantastic Jérémy Sinzelle pass to crash over. La Rochelle were then awarded a penalty try by referee Carley after Bordeaux’s Clement Maynadier was judged to have stopped a score in an offside position to hand Ronan O’Gara’s side an extra seven points. Despite being down to 14 men following Maynadier’s sin bin, Bordeaux managed to add another try through Mori after he was released by Woki on the right flank. Jean-Baptiste Dubié thought he had added another score late on for Bordeaux before his try was ruled out by the TMO for offside, as La Rochelle ran out 31-13 winners.