Ben Lam

Jerome Kaino's Toulouse to face former Hurricanes wing Ben Lam in French rugby semis

Lam started on the left wing in Bordeaux-Bègles’ 25-16 quarterfinals victory over Clermont on Sunday (Monday NZ time), with Tameifuna adding his burly frame from the bench.

They will visit round-robin winners Toulouse on Sunday (Monday NZ time), having qualified for the semifinals for the first time since the club was formed in 2006 after the merger of two long-standing Bordeaux clubs.

No side from Bordeaux have won a French championship since Bègles triumphed in 1991, captained by current French Rugby Federation president and former national team coach Bernard Laporte.

Hurricanes wing Ben Lam departing to French club after Super Rugby season

Bordeaux announced on their website this morning they had signed the 28-year-old for two seasons with his contract ending in June 2022.

Lam's acquisition comes as a replacement for former NRL star and Fijian powerhouse Semi Radradra who is leaving the Top 14 club after signing a deal with the Bristol Bears in the UK.

Lam turned heads in 2018 when he finished that year's Super Rugby season as the competition's top try-scorer, crossing the line 16 times.

Super rugby's leading try scorer dumped from Hurricanes

After three straight losses which threatens to derail their season coach Chris Boyd has made nine changes to the starting lineup, both personal wise and positionally, which lost to the Queensland Reds last round.

Lam has scored 14 tries this season, the most in the competition, but Boyd was unimpressed with attacking work of fullback Nehe Milner-Skudder and winger Ben Lam and Julian Savea.