Union Bordeaux-Begles and Northampton meet for just the second time in Cardiff for the Investec Champions Cup Final. In the previous instalment of this burgeoning rivalry in 2020, the French team travelled to Franklin’s Gardens and defeated a Northampton side coached by Chris Boyd.
That game ended 12-16, but both teams have undergone significant changes in the intervening years. Boyd left Northampton at the end of the 2021/22 season. His replacement, former Northampton and England number 8 Phil Dowson, is no Boyd, but Boyd’s ethos remains firmly in place.
England’s Best Coach
Sam Vesty became attack coach under Boyd in 2018, and while the playing personnel have changed drastically in the last seven years, the approach hasn’t.
When the Saints generate quick ruck balls, their ability to identify space-attack defensive weak spots will cause any opponent problems. With four British and Irish Lions in the current Northampton squad, UBB’s defence is in for a tough Saturday afternoon.
The Youth Movement
There has been much chatter about both fly-halves in this game. A win for UBB would be considered a wonderful redemption story for Mathieu Jalibert. The French 10 has suffered horrible injuries since he made his international debut in 2018. There have also been rumours that he can’t get on with France head coach Fabien Galthié.
Northampton’s star fly-half is one of their Lions call-ups. If Jalibert is France’s enfant terrible, Smith is England’s angelic cherub. But this game is the rare occasion where both 10s are set to be outshone by even brighter stars, particularly in attack.
One Lion will lead the charge for the Saints, and if UBB can’t find a way to slow him down, Henry Pollock will take the game over.
Some were shocked by the 20-year-old’s selection. But even ignoring how Lions head coach Andy Farrell is no stranger to prodigious talent (Farrell made his international debut at 18), it’s no surprise someone who has scored eight tries in 14 representative matches and 14 tries in their first 28 club games is on the plane to Australia.
The young tyro has also won an under-20s 6 Nations title and a Junior Rugby World Cup in the last two seasons.
Pollock’s ability to run creative lines and attack weak inside shoulders stresses defences. He can hide behind the ball carrier and burst through holes, and his blistering pace turns a scrambling defence into a broken defence.
Young Bordeaux
UBB has also changed its head coach since the previous meeting. Yannick Bru replaced Christophe Urios at the end of the 2022/23 season. However, the emergence of one player, in particular, proved to be a catalyst for Les Damiers.
Louis Bielle-Biarrey has been the hottest property in rugby for the last two years. If Pollock can break defences, then Louis Beep-Beep, as he’s known on Reddit, makes them disappear.
21-year-old Bielle-Biarrey has scored 122 points in 29 representative games. Even more impressive than that, he’s scored 197 points in just 69 appearances for UBB!
Oui Are The Champions
If form is the decisive factor in this final, one side, UBB, was undefeated throughout the pool stages. The other lost 35-45 to Stade Francais Paris back in January.
Saints have bad memories of the Principality Stadium, too. Their previous final appearance is remembered for Jonny Sexton’s Man of the Match performance. The Lions’ assistant coach dragged his Leinster team to a 33-22 victory after falling behind 22-3!
Dowson played openside for the Saints on that occasion, so if this game becomes a coaching battle, then UBB again have the edge. Jannick Bru won the tournament twice as a player with Toulouse and again as the forwards coach in 2010.
While the Saints’ heroic displays in Europe and lacklustre showings in the domestic league are reminiscent of Manchester United, it seems like this final comes a year too soon for Northampton. But next year, will Pollock have as much experience as Bielle-Biarrey? Well, let’s say everyone has been warned.
