Bordeaux Begles won their first-ever European title on Saturday by defeating Northampton 28-20 in a thrilling and sometimes messy Champions Cup final at the Principality Stadium.
The French team combined fast, sharp attacking plays with strong and steady forward work. Damian Penaud scored two tries, and Adam Coleman added another, giving Bordeaux an early lead. However, Northampton’s Alex Coles scored in the third minute and again just before half-time, bringing the score to 20-20 by the break.
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This was Bordeaux’s first appearance in a Champions Cup final, and in the second half, they played with more control and power. A try by Cyril Cazeaux and a penalty kicked by Maxime Lucu, who was named man of the match, gave them an eight-point lead.
Northampton kept fighting and showed great determination, but they couldn’t find the same attacking rhythm that brought them to the final. In the end, Bordeaux held on to claim the win, making it the fifth year in a row that a French team has won the Champions Cup.
“I’m really proud of our team. This tournament is very tough, and winning it feels very emotional,” said Damian Penaud, who was named Player of the Season, while speaking to Premier Sports.
On the other side, Northampton’s captain Fraser Dingwall said the problems they faced during the match reflected the struggles they’ve had all season. “We never gave up, but we made too many mistakes,” he said. “It’s frustrating because close games are decided by small things. We stayed in the game and made some turnovers, but you can’t keep giving chances to a strong team like Bordeaux.”
Northampton, who are currently eighth in the Premiership and haven’t had the best title defence, started strong despite having several injured players. They scored early through Coles, who pushed his way over the try line. But the good start was quickly overshadowed when winger James Ramm and full-back George Furbank had to leave the field due to injuries within the first five minutes.
After a long delay, Bordeaux answered back with a try from Penaud, who extended his record to 13 tries in a single season of the competition. Penaud then linked up with fellow winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey for what looked like a brilliant try, but it was cancelled because of a forward pass. Still, Bordeaux kept the momentum, and a dazzling run from Matthieu Jalibert helped set up a try for lock Adam Coleman.
Bordeaux faced a setback when flanker Mahamadou Diaby received a yellow card for a high tackle. However, the referee soon evened things up by giving Northampton’s Tommy Freeman a yellow card for a dangerous aerial challenge.
Penaud grabbed his second try by taking advantage of a mistake near the Northampton try line. Northampton, however, responded well, showing the sharp passing that helped them beat Leinster in the semifinals, and once again Coles crossed the line for his second try of the match.
Smith kicked brilliantly from the sideline to tie the score at 20-20 by halftime, which had already seen plenty of chaos.
Henry Pollock thought he had scored early in the second half, but the try was cancelled due to offside. Moments later, he crossed the line again, but his joy didn’t last, as Coles was penalised for obstruction, nullifying the effort.
Things got worse for Northampton when Ed Prowse was shown a yellow card for a head contact incident, leaving them with just 13 players for a while. Bordeaux took advantage, and captain and scrum-half Lucu stepped up to take the penalty kick, which he scored without trouble.
Despite a brave defensive stand from Northampton, Bordeaux’s constant pressure eventually broke through when Cazeaux powered over the line, extending the lead to 28-20.
Northampton fought hard until the end but couldn’t push past Bordeaux’s defence or get out of their own half effectively.
For longtime fans, the match brought back painful memories of the 2011 final, where Northampton lost 33-22 to Leinster after leading 22-6 at halftime. This time, Bordeaux proved again why they’re considered the best finishers in French rugby.
The win marked Bordeaux’s first major title since the club’s formation in 2006 from the merger of Stade Bordelais and Begles. They were promoted to France’s Top 14 in 2011 and now sit second in the league standings, with hopes of winning both the domestic league and European title.
This Champions Cup victory also balanced the score between English and French clubs over the weekend, after Bath beat Lyon in the Challenge Cup final on Friday.
