Cruel defeat denies Gloucester Rugby place in European Rugby Champions Cup

Bordeaux Begles have qualified for next season's European Rugby Champions Cup thanks to a 23-22 victory over Gloucester Rugby at Sixways Stadium.

The hosts, who will compete in the Challenge Cup next term, were dominant during the early stages and made the breakthrough with an early Robert Cook penalty.

Greig Laidlaw kicked over three more points for Gloucester on 11 minutes before the Scot added the extras to Henry Purdy's try to give his side a 13-0 lead.

A penalty from Pierre Bernard got Bordeaux off the mark with 29 minutes played, but another three points from Laidlaw kept the home team in control.

However, the visitors got themselves back in contention during the final five minutes of the first half as Bernard kicked over his second penalty of the match before converting Metuisela Talebula's score to reduce Gloucester's advantage to 19-13 at the interval.

Bordeaux took the lead for the first time in the match with 20 minutes to go when Bernard converted another try from Talebula, but Laidlaw's fourth penalty with nine minutes left edged Gloucester back in front.

With time running out, Bordeaux snatched a dramatic win as Bernard's drop goal in the dying seconds earned the French club a place at the top table of European rugby next term.