Northampton 20 Bordeaux-Begles 28
History may not judge kindly Northampton Saints’ defence of their Premiership title, but Phil Dowson’s side have arguably achieved something much more important for English club rugby with their glorious defiance in the Investec Champions Cup this season.
England have not had a finalist since Exeter Chiefs were crowned champions in 2020 behind closed doors but here, in a wonderfully raucous Principality Stadium and against a much more expensively assembled Bordeaux-Begles side, Dowson’s side put the Premiership on the map in Europe again.
Northampton defeated the Bulls in Pretoria, Munster at Franklin’s Gardens, and Leinster at the Aviva Stadium en route to their first final since their last European triumph in 2000, and even in defeat here displayed a collective defiant spirit, even with a hatful of injuries and yellow cards, that demonstrated that the English sides matter in this competition, after half a decade of French dominance.
Credit to Bordeaux-Begles, champions of Europe for the first time. The club was only founded in 2006 following a merger of the two clubs, but Saints can hold their heads up high, beaten but not broken.
Dowson’s side had to overcome traffic delays on their way to the stadium and then were rocked by losing two of their back three players, James Ramm and George Furbank to injury in the first four minutes. Temo Mayanavanua, the powerhouse lock, was also lost to a head injury midway through the first half, and despite having to play second fiddle for long periods their defiance was not diminished by their misfortune.
That they somehow managed to go into the interval level at 20-20 was remarkable enough, and as it was, they restricted the Top 14 side to just eight points in the second half, when their legs were gone and after a try by Henry Pollock had been disallowed, and at one stage gone down to 13 men, with Tommy Freeman and Ed Prouse in the sin bin.
Alex Coles had kept Saints in touch with two tries in the first half, even though there were multiple moments in the first half when it looked like the French side were poised to surge clear, with Matthieu Jalibert pulling the strings superbly, and Damian Penaud, who has crossed for two tries, and Louis Bielle-Biarrey a constant sniping threat. But even after Freeman was sent to the sin bin for taking out Penaud in the air in the build-up to his second try, Saints picked themselves up.
Bordeaux-Begles threatened to run away with the game in the second half, but Saints continued to frustrate them, winning a number of critical turnovers deep in their own half. A long-range penalty by Maxime Lucu pen and a try by Cyril Cazeaux took the contest beyond a score, but not beyond Northampton’s fierce resistance. And for that alone, this will go down as one of the finals that will linger long in the memory.
Match details
Scoring sequence: 5-0, Coles try, 7-0, Smith con; 7-5, Penaud try, 7-5; 7-10, Coleman try, 7-12; Jalibert con; 10-12, Smith pen; 10-15, Jalibert pen; 13-15, Smith pen; 13-20, Penaud try; 18-20, Coles try, 20-20, Smith con; 20-23, Lucu pen; 20-28, Cazeaux try;
Northampton: G Furbank (T Litchfield 4, T James 79); T Freeman, F Dingwall, R Hutchinson, J Ramm (O Sleightholme 2); F Smith, A Mitchell; E Iyogun (T Haffar 66), C Langdon (C Wright 60-75), T Davison (E Millar-Mills 60), T Mayanavanua, T Lockett (A Scott-Young 61), A Coles, J Kemeny, H Pollock
Yellow cards: T Freeman 35-45; E Prowse 43-53
Bordeaux Begles: R Buros (A Retiere 20), D Penaud, N Depoortère, Y Moefana (RJ van Rensburg 73), L Bielle-Biarrey; M Jalibert, M Lucu; J Poirot (U Boniface 58), M Lamothe (C Gomes Sa 63), S Falatea (B Tameifuna 40) , A Coleman (P Bochaton 50), C Cazeaux, M Diaby (M Gazzotti 40), G Petti, P Samu (B Vergnes-Taillefer 68).
Yellow cards: Mahamadou Diaby 29-39
Referee: N Amashukeli (Georgia)
Attendance: 70,223
05:28 PM BST
Lions selector
You can build your side ahead of the tour to Australia this summer.
05:22 PM BST
Adam Coleman, who scored a try for Bordeaux today, speaking to Premier Sports
“I am so proud of the boys, we have put in a lot of hard work to get to this point, so to get the reward is unreal.
“Northampton are a quality side with four Lions. Watch out Cardiff as we are staying here tonight.”
05:20 PM BST
Penaud ready for a party?
05:17 PM BST
Penaud with another trophy
05:16 PM BST
First star on the Bordeaux jersey
05:09 PM BST
Paul Grayson talking on BBC Radio 5 Live
“Every time [Henry] Pollock was anywhere near the ball there was an acceleration in the Bordeaux players to get to him.
“They all had eyes on him. He had a quiet game by his standards even though he had two tries disallowed.
“They singled him out as a difference-maker and he will have to work out how to deal with that as his career goes forwards.”
05:08 PM BST
Fraser Dingwall speaking to Premier Sports
“That sums up our season. We were never going to go away but we gave them too many opportunities.
“Frustrating when it comes down to small margins. We stayed in there and forced turnovers but against good teams you can’t keep giving them chances.”
05:06 PM BST
The winners
Before they even head up to get their medals and receive the trophy, the Bordeaux players engage in some singing and dancing up and down. Their captain Maxime Lucu is the last man up. He lifts it alongside Jefferson Poirot and Bordeaux are Champions Cup winners.
05:02 PM BST
Runners up
After the officials receive their medals, Northampton make their way on to receive their runners’ up medals, led up by captain Fraser Dingwall.
05:00 PM BST
Despair for Northampton
04:56 PM BST
Emotions pouring out for man of the match Maxime Lucu
04:55 PM BST
Matt Dawson on BBC Radio 5 Live
“I am desperately disappointed for Northampton. Incredible fans and brilliant team but sometimes you have to nod to the opposition and say they are a better side. Yes, things did not go your way with injuries but Bordeaux are a quality outfit who know how to score tries, win physical battles and get over the line.
“Northampton could not get themselves into any kind of position to stretch Bordeaux in the second half. Henry Pollock’s disallowed try might have given them that momentum but the key incident for me was when Ed Prowse got sin-binned.
“There was no need to make that tackle. Northampton had gone to the well to dig in after the early injuries and then they had to dig in again for another 20 minutes.”
04:46 PM BST
Full time
That is it and Bordeaux win their first Champions Cup, beating Northampton 28-20. Delight for Bordeaux, despair for Northampton. The French control on this trophy continues as Bordeaux make it five straight years of French dominance.
04:45 PM BST
79 mins: Northampton 20 Bordeaux 28
We tick into the final minute and Bordeaux have a lineout not far outside the Northampton 22. That will be it. Man of the match Lucu is getting the Bordeaux fans going.
04:43 PM BST
78 mins: Northampton 20 Bordeaux 28
Langdon knocks on on halfway and Bordeaux have a scrum on halfway as we tick under two minutes to go. Bordeaux think they are there.
04:40 PM BST
76 mins: Northampton 20 Bordeaux 28
Langdon’s lineout throw just inside the Bordeaux half is not straight and they gift Bordeaux a scrum with under five minutes to go. It is also still a two-score game.
04:37 PM BST
73 mins: Northampton 20 Bordeaux 28
Northampton disrupt the Bordeaux lineout and force the knock-on. Northampton are holding on but time is ticking on.
Langdon is coming back on for Northampton as his replacement Wright is leaving the field.
04:35 PM BST
72 mins: Northampton 20 Bordeaux 28
Lucu puts up a box-kick into the Northampton 22 and Penaud knocks it on. However they are going to check if Mitchell played Penaud in the air or was realistically going for the ball. They decide that Mitchell grabbed Penaud in the air and Bordeaux are given a penalty.
Into the corner Bordeaux go.
04:33 PM BST
70 mins: Northampton 20 Bordeaux 28
Northampton are under pressure deep inside their own 22 and Mitchell is penalised for holding on. Bordeaux are right in the corner and stick it into touch. A try for Northampton here and that would be game over.
We are watching replays of the build-up to that penalty and the officials spot a knock-on from Penaud so Northampton have the scrum instead of a Bordeaux penalty.
04:30 PM BST
69 mins: Northampton 20 Bordeaux 28
Northampton are within five metres of the Bordeaux line but Mitchell’s pass goes to ground and Bordeaux dive on the loose ball before clearing.
04:29 PM BST
67 mins: Northampton 20 Bordeaux 28
Northampton are given a penalty as Wright is hit in the air by Samu as he went up to catch the ball. They kick into the Bordeaux 22 and this is crucial for Northampton to come away with points.
04:26 PM BST
66 mins: Northampton 20 Bordeaux 28
Northampton attack from a scrum on their 10-metre line and make great ground, shifting the ball out to the right. They make it all the way to the Bordeaux 22 before knocking on and the chance is gone.
04:22 PM BST
63 mins: Northampton 20 Bordeaux 28
Northampton have done a magnificent job of disrupting the maul and are awarded a scrum. It looked like the Bordeaux maul was going to roll over but Northampton have done really well there.
Northampton win the scrum penalty and can get out of their 22. Big hold from Northampton there.
The game feels like it is rapidly slipping away from Saints since Cyril Cazeaux’s try. Bordeaux are dominating the battle of the breakdown which is denying Saints so much as a toehold in the game. A Bordeaux maul has just been held up but Saints are still trapped by their own posts. For all the talk of the nerves that Bordeaux would be playing with given their lack of silverware, they have managed this third quarter expertly.
04:21 PM BST
62 mins: Northampton 20 Bordeaux 28
Bordeaux are given another penalty for Kemeny playing Lucu illegally. Northampton are walking a tightrope and their captain Dingwall is told the next penalty conceded deep in their 22 will result in a yellow.
04:19 PM BST
61 mins: Northampton 20 Bordeaux 28
Bordeaux have it deep inside the Northampton 22 and have a penalty advantage. They knock the ball on so we go back for the penalty against Pollock. Bordeaux go into the corner.
Double change in the Northampton pack as Wright and Scott-Young are on.
04:18 PM BST
60 mins: Northampton 20 Bordeaux 28
After Bordeaux kick the ball dead from inside their own half, Northampton have the scrum but Bordeaux are awarded a penalty.
04:14 PM BST
TRY! Cazeaux powers over from close range
Bordeaux extend their advantage and the pressure pays off. It looked like Cazeauz was going to be held up but he somehow manages to find a way of getting the ball to the ground. Lucu’s conversion hits the left post and goes wide. There was a suspicion of a forward pass in the build-up but it is cleared.
04:13 PM BST
55 mins: Northampton 20 Bordeaux 23
Bordeaux had a penalty advantage on halfway but that is called over as they make great ground all the way into the Northampton 22. They then earn themselves another penalty advantage…
04:11 PM BST
53 mins: Northampton 20 Bordeaux 23
Some big Ben Earl style energy from the Saints players with Curtis Langdon and Henry Pollock leading the celebrations after Maxime Lucu knocks on following a huge period of Bordeaux pressure in which they twice kicked to within five metres. First time a try was disallowed – the fourth of the game by my count – and then Bordeaux knocked on. If they were in the hotseat on Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Saints would be all out of lifelines now but still have a long way to go to get to the big prize.
04:10 PM BST
52 mins: Northampton 20 Bordeaux 23
The cameras have panned to the Northampton bench and it is good to see Furbank looking ok. Sat next to him is Ramm, who has some crutches with him.
04:07 PM BST
50 mins: Northampton 20 Bordeaux 23
Somehow Northampton disrupt the maul and Coles intercepts the ball, allowing Northampton to clear. Bordeaux will be kicking themselves that they have wasted a few good chances there.
04:06 PM BST
49 mins: Northampton 20 Bordeaux 23
Bordeaux win the lineout, set the maul and roll over for the try. However Lamothe has dropped it right over the line and the try is going to be disallowed. Northampton are though going to be penalised for a leg lift. Bordeaux go back to the corner.
04:03 PM BST
48 mins: Northampton 20 Bordeaux 23
Smith’s clearing kick from deep inside his own 22 is not his best and Bordeaux bring it straight back into the Northampton 22. They get to around five metres of the Northampton line but Northampton come up with a crucial turnover at the breakdown.
However a few phases later Northampton are penalised for holding on. Bordeaux take the aggressive option and go to the corner…
04:00 PM BST
PENALTY BORDEAUX!
Lucu is taking this instead of Jalibert and he nails it to put Bordeaux ahead.
03:58 PM BST
44 mins: Northampton 20 Bordeaux 20
As Prowse tackles Moefana there is clear head-on-head contact. It is deemed not a high degree of danger so Prowse is not sent off but is shown a yellow card. Northampton are now down to 13 men. Bordeaux are going for goal…
03:57 PM BST
43 mins: Northampton 20 Bordeaux 20
Yet another TMO intervention is incoming…
03:54 PM BST
42 mins: Northampton 20 Bordeaux 20
Exactly the start to the half Northampton wanted. From a lineout on the edge of the Bordeaux 22, they come down the blindside and Pollock and Langdon exchange passes to allow the former to go over.
However the TMO has stepped in to check on a hold by Coles on Tameifuna. The TMO and referee are in agreement and the try is chalked off for that shirt pull by Coles.
03:53 PM BST
Second half
We are back under at the Principality Stadium. Bordeaux have made two changes in their pack at the break as Tameifuna comes on at tighthead prop for Falatea and Gazzotti replaces Diaby.
03:49 PM BST
Contest still alive
The key take away from this frantic, chaotic and at times sublime half of rugby is that Northampton, somehow, are still just about alive in this contest.
The Premiership side have defied the odds on their remarkable journey to this Champions Cup final and just when it looked like their hopes were being shredded by injury and moments of stunning brilliance by Bordeaux-Begles, a last-gasp try finished by Alex Coles – his second – and touchline conversion by Fin Smith ensured this contest is locked at 20-20.
It has been intoxicating stuff. Northampton, angry at being held up by traffic delays on their way to the stadium and then rocked by losing two of their back three players, James Ramm and George Furbank to injury in the first four minutes, and then lock Temo Mayanavanua to a head injury midway through the first half, have had to play second fiddle for long periods but their defiance has not been diminished by their misfortune.
There have been several moments in the first half when it looked like the French side were poised to surge clear, with Matthieu Jalibert pulling the strings superbly, and Damian Penaud, who has crossed for two tries, and Louis Bielle-Biarrey a constant sniping threat. But even after Tommy Freeman was sent to the sin bin for taking out Penaud in the air in the build-up to his second try, Northampton have rallied. Just as they showed against Leinster, the key will be to stay in the contest as long as they can.
03:44 PM BST
HT verdict
If someone had said a headband-wearing, blond-haired back-rower would steal the show in the first half of the Champions Cup first half, you might have guessed someone else rather than Alex Coles. With his status in doubt right before kick-off, the converted lock has come up with two key finishes at the start and end of a first half that Bordeaux have dominated for the most part. Getting that try at the death feels huge for Saints who can go in with barely deserved parity. Henry Pollock, meanwhile, has been unusually quiet, although he did have a try chalked off for being slightly in front of Fin Smith’s kick through.
03:38 PM BST
Half time
That is it for the first half and we are all square at 20-20 at the break. An exhilarating first half. Surely more to come in the second half.
03:37 PM BST
TRY! Coles doubles up
Northampton score as the clock goes into the red. They come down their right through a neat move and a good offload inside from Sleightholme as he is being tackled finds Coles, who goes over in the corner. Smith gets the conversion and we are level.
03:33 PM BST
TRY! Penaud gets his second
It is a little scrappy but Bordeaux will not care. For some strange reason Jalibert looks to put a little kick through that is blocked. Pollock tries to gather the ball on the ground but cannot and Bordeaux re-gather. The ball is then shifted to Penaud, who goes over in the corner. The conversion is unsuccessful but Bordeaux lead by seven on the stroke of half time.
03:33 PM BST
36 mins: Northampton 13 Bordeaux 15
Bielle-Biarrey puts a kick ahead into the Northampton 22 and the bounce works in Bordeaux’s favour. Penaud goes up to catch the ball and is then taken out by Freeman, who is fortunate not to see a yellow card. It is just a penalty and Bordeaux go to the corner. However, after seeing another replay, it is decided that Freeman should see yellow and he has no complaints. Both teams now down to 14 men.
03:31 PM BST
35 mins: Northampton 13 Bordeaux 15
The kick is put in behind the Bordeaux defence and it looks like Pollock will run in to score but he is offside. It was very close and interesting that it was given offside immediately. It was probably just offside but a surprise they did not let it play out and then review.
03:29 PM BST
PENALTY NORTHAMPTON!
Smith gets the the three points and Bordeaux’s lead is cut to two.
03:28 PM BST
32 mins: Northampton 10 Bordeaux 15
Northampton are given a penalty for a deliberate knock-on inside the Bordeaux 22 but there is no further punishment. Cazeaux was the man to deliberately knock it down but there is no yellow. Northampton point to the posts.
03:27 PM BST
31 mins: Northampton 10 Bordeaux 15
Northampton are attacking deep in the Bordeaux 22 but Penaud intercepts. However Northampton turn the ball over through Litchfield at the breakdown. A grubber kick is then put in and that allows Bielle-Biarrey to gather and clear but only to the edge of his own 22.
03:25 PM BST
30 mins: Northampton 10 Bordeaux 15
There is head-on-head contact by Diaby on Mayanavanua. It is deemed that there is not a high degree of danger and it is a passive hit so that saves Diaby from a red card. He is sent to the bin and Bordeaux will spend most of the rest of this half down to 14 men.
Northampton turn down the chance of three points and go to the corner.
Whatever happens in a final, you need a degree of luck. Saints so far have had very little with James Ramm and George Furbank both being lost to injury, forcing them to redeploy Tommy Freeman, arguably the most in-form wing in Europe, to full back. Now second row Temo Mayanauvauna has gone for a head injury assessment, although that also resulted in a yellow card to Mahamadou Diaby for a high tackle. Feels absolutely crucial that Saints now capitalise upon their man advantage having had so little momentum since their opening purple patch.
03:24 PM BST
29 mins: Northampton 10 Bordeaux 15
Northampton knock on just outside the Bordeaux 22 and Bordeaux counter. They are so dangerous in these positions in open field. Jalibert puts the kick through and the ball rolls into touch just before the Northampton 22. Bordeaux would have been hoping for at least a 50-22 there or the ball staying in play.
However the TMO has stepped in for potential foul play by Diaby…
03:22 PM BST
PENALTY BORDEAUX!
Jalibert lands the easy three points and Bordeaux push their advantage up to five points.
03:21 PM BST
28 mins: Northampton 10 Bordeaux 12
Northampton make a mess of trying to clear and then are penalised on their own five-metre line as Smith goes off his feet at the ruck. Bordeaux point to the posts…
03:20 PM BST
27 mins: Northampton 10 Bordeaux 12
Bordeaux are attacking deep inside the Northampton 22 and Penaud has it. He is usually so dangerous in this area but a big tackle from Lockett forces Penaud to knock on.
03:18 PM BST
PENALTY NORTHAMPTON!
It looked like Smith’s kick from over 40 metres out was going to miss to the left but it swings in and goes over, reducing Bordeaux’s lead to two points.
03:17 PM BST
24 mins: Northampton 7 Bordeaux 12
Northampton are given a penalty just inside the Bordeaux half for a Bordeaux offside at a ruck. Smith is going to go for goal…
03:14 PM BST
TRY! Coleman puts Bordeaux into lead after Jalibert brilliance
Bordeaux are ahead for the first time today and it is all about Jalibert. The ball goes to ground but Jalibert gathers and demonstrates his brilliance. He keeps skipping past and stepping so many Northampton defenders before a basketball-esque offload to Coleman in the corner. Brilliance. Jalibert converts and Bordeaux lead by five.
It was Brian Ashton who used to preach that one of the most devastating attacking weapons is the bouncing ball because it just freezes everyone. We saw that for Bordeaux’s second try as Yoram Moefana’s inadvertent drop, which looked a knock-on, in real time just caught Saints defenders on their heels before they were further bewitched by Matthieu Jalibert’s dancing feet, allowing Coleman a simple finish in the corner.
03:13 PM BST
20 mins: Northampton 7 Bordeaux 5
Bordeaux win a penalty on their own 10-metre line and Jalibert sends a kick into the Northampton half. They are attacking on the fringes on the Northampton 22 and, after working it to the left, they then come to the right and Bielle-Biarrey puts a kick ahead, which is taken into touch by Northampton near their own line.
Buros is coming off for an HIA.
03:06 PM BST
14 mins: Northampton 7 Bordeaux 5
Bordeaux think they have their second try of the game but will it stand? It is first-phase from the scrum and they work it well all the way from the left touchline to the right. It is Bielle-Biarrey who finds space and offloads on the 22 out to Penaud, who then passes back inside for Bielle-Biarrey to cross. The try is initially given but Bielle-Biarrey’s pass to Penaud looked forward. The TMO steps in and the try is correctly chalked off as the pass clearly went forward.
03:04 PM BST
13 mins: Northampton 7 Bordeaux 5
A low, drilled kick is put ahead by Bordeaux towards the Northampton 22 and Smith is adjudged to have knocked on. Looking at the replays it appeared it went backwards but Bordeaux will have the scrum.
03:03 PM BST
12 mins: Northampton 7 Bordeaux 5
Jalibert puts a cheeky chip over the top from inside his own half and the bounce is too high, which forces him to knock on. Had the bounce been slightly kinder Jalibert could have caused Northampton real problems.
02:59 PM BST
8 mins: Northampton 7 Bordeaux 5
Mitchell goes high on Moefana on halfway but he is fortunate as play is brought back for a knock-on by Jalibert on halfway.
02:57 PM BST
TRY! Penaud responds for Bordeaux
Bordeaux hit back. The shift it out to the right and Penaud has an easy run-in over in the right corner. Jalibert’s conversion hits the post and goes wide so Northampton lead by two. Northampton got off to the best possible start but two injuries and that try conceded has changed things dramatically.
02:51 PM BST
5 mins: Northampton 7 Bordeaux 0
Bordeaux have a penalty advantage and Lucu attempts a crossfield kick. Furbank goes up with Penaud and manages to disrupt things so we will go back for the penalty. However, whilst on the ground, Furbank gets smacked in the head by Buros’ knee as he was trying to gather the ball. They did check it but clear the incident as it was purely accidental as Buros tried to get to the ball. It was just a really fortunate incident and let’s hope Furbank is ok. It does not look good for him and the stretcher has been called for. They have already had to make one change in the back three and now they will have to make another.
The crowd rises to applaud Furbank as he is stretchered off. All our best wishes go to him, having only just come back from injury. Litchfield comes on for Furbank.
02:50 PM BST
3 mins: Northampton 7 Bordeaux 0
Northampton are already having to make a change. Ramm, who picked up an injury last weekend against Saracens, is being helped off. In his place is Sleightholme, who is only just back from injury.
Jalibert kicks ahead into the Northampton 22 and Furbank is forced to carry the ball into touch just five metres from his own line.
02:48 PM BST
TRY! Coles gives Northampton early lead
They do not need the penalty advantage as Coles powers his way over. Bordeaux thought they were about to hold Coles up but he manages to find the grass. Smith gets the easy conversion and Northampton lead 7-0.
02:47 PM BST
2 mins: Northampton 0 Bordeaux 0
Northampton gets us going and steal possession. They are on the fringes of the Bordeaux 22 and the the ball is shifted out to the right wing to find Hutchinson. Jalibert then thinks he has an intercept but Bordeaux are penalised. Northampton take it quickly and have a penalty advantage…
02:45 PM BST
Kick-off
We are under way at the Principality Stadium. Who will be lifting the Champions Cup trophy in a few hours? Northampton or Bordeaux?
02:43 PM BST
Kick-off fast approaching
After a lights show and plenty of pyrotechnics inside the Principality Stadium, both sides emerge from the tunnel and we are just moments away from kick-off. The roof is closed as it was last night.
02:39 PM BST
Reminder of the teams
Northampton starting XV: 15 George Furbank, 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Fraser Dingwall (C), 12 Rory Hutchinson, 11 James Ramm, 10 Fin Smith, 9 Alex Mitchell; 1 Emmanuel Iyogun, 2 Curtis Langdon, 3 Trevor Davison, 4 Temo Mayanavanus, 5 Tom Lockett, 6 Alex Coles, 7 Josh Kemeney, 8 Henry Pollock
Replacements: 16 Craig Wright, 17 Tarek Haffar, 18 Elliot Millar Mills, 19 Ed Prowse, 20 Angus Scott-Young, 21 Tom James, 22 Tom Litchfield, 23 Ollie Sleightholme
Bordeaux starting XV: 15 Romain Buros, 14 Damian Penaud, 13 Nicols Depoortère, 12 Yoram Moefana, 11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 10 Matthieu Jalibert, 9 Maxime Lucu (C); 1. Jefferson Poirot, 2 Maxime Lamothe, 3 Sipili Falatea, 4 Adam Coleman, 5 Cyril Cazeaux, 6 Mahamadou Diaby, 7 Guido Petti, 8 Peter Samu
Replacements: 16 Connor Sa, 17 Ugo Boniface, 18 Ben Tameifuna, 19 Pierre Bochaton, 20 Bastien Vergnes, 21 Marko Gazzotti, 22 Arthur Retiere
02:35 PM BST
Pollock starts at eight
He has been named on the Lions tour and he will be hoping to get on the flight to Australia as a European Champions Cup winner.
02:30 PM BST
Furbank back for Northampton
Phil Dowson has admitted that it is a risk starting George Furbank today but is it worth it for a Champions Cup final. Probably, so long as he is not forced off early in the game.
02:26 PM BST
Fan zone back in Bordeaux packed
02:21 PM BST
Plenty of support for both teams
02:17 PM BST
Recent Champions Cup winners
2024- Toulouse
2023- La Rochelle
2022- La Rochelle
2021- Toulouse
2020- Exeter Chiefs
2019- Saracens
2018- Leinster
02:12 PM BST
The ‘accidental’ Irish coach behind Bordeaux’s freewheeling attack
How does one draw parallels between a five-year-old learning French and coaching a team that features Matthieu Jalibert, Louis Bielle-Biarrey and other intoxicating talent at Bordeaux-Bègles?
On the eve of this weekend’s Investec Champions Cup final in Cardiff, as his outfit prepares to meet Northampton Saints in a captivating decider, Noel McNamara is happy to explain.
“I think inspiration is everywhere,” shrugs the Bordeaux attack coach. “It’s in other sports. It’s in everyday life. It’s with your kids and watching them learn.
02:06 PM BST
Last night
Bath were victorious over Lyon in the Challenge Cup final last night. Will Northampton make it two wins from two for the English sides over French clubs?
02:00 PM BST
The ‘old married couple’ at the heart of Northampton’s excitement machine
“We’re like an old married couple,” Phil Dowson, Northampton’s director of rugby, says of his partnership with Sam Vesty, the club’s head coach, who sits beside him at the top of the stand at Franklin’s Gardens. “Sometimes I p— him off and sometimes he p—– me off, but that only lasts about five minutes and then we get on with it.”
This relationship is at the heart of Northampton’s rise to the Premiership title last season and now to the precipice of European glory, all with one of the Premiership’s smaller budgets. Beating Bordeaux in the Investec Champions Cup final at the Principality Stadium on Saturday having already beaten Leinster in Dublin and the Bulls in Pretoria would rank as one of English rugby’s greatest coaching achievements.
01:56 PM BST
Bordeaux’s recent results
Saturday 17th May- Bordeaux 34-29 Castres (Top 14)
Sunday 11th May- Montpellier 46-27 Bordeaux (Top 14)
Sunday 4th May- Bordeaux 35-18 Toulouse (Champions Cup semi-final)
Saturday 26th April- Bordeaux 10-21 La Rochelle (Top 14)
01:51 PM BST
Northampton’s recent results
Saturday 17th May- Northampton 28-24 Saracens (Premiership)
Sunday 11th May- Exeter 42-14 Northampton (Premiership)
Saturday 3rd May- Leinster 34-37 Northampton (Champions Cup semi-final)
Saturday 26th April- Northampton 48-31 Bristol (Premiership)
01:46 PM BST
Champions Cup and Challenge Cup predictions: Northampton to lose?
Bordeaux 40 Saints 32
I was prepared to put my neck on the line for a Saints victory but for the injury concerns over Langdon and Coles. For all the wizardry that Fin Smith and company can conjure in the back line, Saints need to ensure set-piece parity to have a shot of victory against a meaty Bordeaux tight five. I would happily be proved wrong, however, having also given them a snowball in hell’s chance of turning over Leinster.
Which of our experts thinks this is how today will pan out? You can find out more here.
01:41 PM BST
Their routes through the Champions Cup knockout stages
Last-16:
Northampton 46-24 Clermont
Bordeaux 43-31 Ulster
Quarter-final:
Bordeaux 47-29 Munster
Northampton 51-16 Castres
Semi-final:
Bordeaux 35-18 Toulouse
Leinster 34-37 Northampton
01:36 PM BST
Teams
Northampton starting XV: 15 George Furbank, 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Fraser Dingwall (C), 12 Rory Hutchinson, 11 James Ramm, 10 Fin Smith, 9 Alex Mitchell; 1 Emmanuel Iyogun, 2 Curtis Langdon, 3 Trevor Davison, 4 Temo Mayanavanus, 5 Tom Lockett, 6 Alex Coles, 7 Josh Kemeney, 8 Henry Pollock
Replacements: 16 Craig Wright, 17 Tarek Haffar, 18 Elliot Millar Mills, 19 Ed Prowse, 20 Angus Scott-Young, 21 Tom James, 22 Tom Litchfield, 23 Ollie Sleightholme
Bordeaux starting XV: 15 Romain Buros, 14 Damian Penaud, 13 Nicols Depoortère, 12 Yoram Moefana, 11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 10 Matthieu Jalibert, 9 Maxime Lucu (C); 1. Jefferson Poirot, 2 Maxime Lamothe, 3 Sipili Falatea, 4 Adam Coleman, 5 Cyril Cazeaux, 6 Mahamadou Diaby, 7 Guido Petti, 8 Peter Samu
Replacements: 16 Connor Sa, 17 Ugo Boniface, 18 Ben Tameifuna, 19 Pierre Bochaton, 20 Bastien Vergnes, 21 Marko Gazzotti, 22 Arthur Retiere
01:29 PM BST
Champions Cup glory up for grabs
Northampton are aiming for European glory as they take on Bordeaux in the Champions Cup final at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. Northampton booked their place in the final with a 37-34 win over Leinster in Dublin, exacting revenge from the semi-finals a year ago, and are aiming to win this competition for the second time, having beaten Munster 9-8 in the final at Twickenham in May 2000. They did also make the final in 2011 but lost 33-22 to Leinster in this very stadium. Northampton are aiming to become the first English club since Exeter in 2020 to win this competition. Having won the Premiership a year ago, they are now aiming for European glory but go into the game as underdogs. Their director of rugby Phil Dowson has acknowledged his side are not favourites this afternoon.
“You look at the quality of their [Bordeaux’s] squad, (and) we are suffering with some long-term injuries,” Dowson told BBC Radio Northampton. “Just on those factors alone we are probably underdogs – and with their league form compared to our league form, I think that makes us underdogs. But that is up to the bookies and the pundits, we focus on what we are in control of and that is our actions and that is what we are going to do.
“Whatever the perceptions from outside are irrelevant, the perception from the inside is that we have got a really close group, a connected group, and we have got some very talented players in there. We work at that with how we talk about each other and how we value each other’s efforts and how we keep pushing to try and get better across the board, whether it is guys on loan at Bedford and Hinckley and Leicester Lions or guys playing in a semi-final or final in Europe. It is not an individual sport, it is a team sport and we need everybody, and that includes support staff and everybody on side.”
Northampton had a number of injury worries coming into the game but are able to include George Furbank, James Ramm and Curtis Langdon in the starting XV, who were all doubts, as well as Ollie Sleightholme on the bench. Dowson has however admitted that it is a risk selecting Furbank after injury.
“It is always a gamble. Whenever you bring someone back from injury, there is always a point where they have got to hit somebody, make a cover tackle, or go flat out. There is always a risk there.”
Bordeaux, who sit second in the Top 14, beat last year’s champions Toulouse to book their place in the final. They have a formidable side loaded with French internationals such as Damian Penaud, Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Matthieu Jalibert, just to name a few. This is their first appearance in the Champions Cup final. The Champions Cup winners have mainly come from England or France over the last decade. In the last 10 editions, English clubs have won it four times whilst French clubs have been successful five times, including in each of the last four seasons.
Kick-off from Cardiff is at 2.45pm.
