Bordeaux advances to Champions Cup final following their win against Toulouse, thanks to Bielle-Biarrey's impressive performance.
In a thrilling turn of events, Bordeaux-Bègles has earned their first-ever Champions Cup final spot, crushing Stade Toulousain 35-18 in the semifinals. Meanwhile, Northampton Saints sneaked their way through to the final with an unspecified, but alleged to be impressive, performance in their semifinal bout.
Yannick Bru, Bordeaux's head coach, couldn't hide his excitement after their triumph: "We've won, it's magnificent! It's been a magnificent day. I'm happy for rugby." The match, widely anticipated as a battle between the two leading sides in France's Top 14, took place at the Stade Matmut on May 24.
Toulouse struggled to keep pace with Bordeaux from the get-go. The decisive moment came when Bordeaux fly-half Matthieu Jalibert launched a counter-attack from a turnover in the fifth minute, resulting in a try scored by No.8 Pete Samu. Jalibert's conversion and subsequent penalty kicked Bordeaux to a 10-point lead.
Despite a valiant effort by Toulouse's wing Delibes and full-back Juan Cruz Mallia, Bordeaux remained in control. Wing Romain Buros and Damian Penaud played a significant role in setting up further tries for Bielle-Biarrey, and Maxime Lucu's long-range penalty sealed the team's 18-10 advantage at half-time.
Bierre-Biarrey's second-half try put Bordeaux in a commanding position, and replacements Pierre Bochaton and Ben Tameifuna added two more decisive scores, ensuring their place in the final. Penaud, France's record try-scorer, suffered an ankle injury during the match but still expressed pride in his team's victory: "I'm proud of the lads. They didn't want to lose."
While Bordeaux-Bègles prepare for the final, Toulouse shifts focus to defending their domestic title. With four regular-season matches remaining, they currently lead the standings by 10 points and are on track for a first-round playoff bye. Bordeaux-Bègles' tough competition doesn't end here—they're also fighting for a playoff berth as they narrowly hold second place.
As Bru put it, "We knew that everything would count. When you play Toulouse in the knockout rounds, everything counts: the forwards, the pack's performance, the breakaways." Both teams now look towards new challenges, with Bordeaux-Bègles facing Northampton in the Champions Cup final and Toulouse aiming to hold onto their domestic crown.
APEX: The full story unfolded on May 24, as Bordeaux-Bègles outplayed Stade Toulousain 35-18 to secure their maiden Champions Cup final spot. The Champions Cup final will see Bordeaux-Bègles face off against Northampton Saints, with the match set to take place at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on May 24. Meanwhile, Toulouse, the reigning Champions Cup champions who lost to Bordeaux in the semifinals, will focus on their domestic title race.
- With the Champions Cup final scheduled for May 24 at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, Bordeaux-Bègles, the winner of the international competition, will face off against Northampton Saints.
- The dominant win by Bordeaux-Bègles against Stade Toulousain in France marked the first ever Champions Cup final spot for the club.
- In 2025, Bordeaux-Bègles will compete in the Champions Cup final, striving to join the ranks of established European football leagues.
- Despite their impressive run in the Champions Cup, Bordeaux-Bègles still has another challenge to face as they hold a narrow lead in the race for a playoff berth in France's domestic competition.
- The 2025 football season promises thrilling battles, as France's European representatives, including Bordeaux-Bègles and Toulouse, aim to claim top honors in both their domestic and international competitions.
