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Louis Bielle-Biarrey is not yet ready to think about winning the Top 14 title, just let him “savour” Union Bordeaux-Bègles’s first major title of the professional era first.
Louis Bielle-Biarrey is not yet ready to think about winning the Top 14 title, just let him “savour” Union Bordeaux-Bègles’s first major title of the professional era first.
UBB didn’t hold back in their celebrations after defeating Northampton Saints 28-20 in the Investec Champions Cup on Saturday.
Quite how a model zebra made its way onto the Principality Stadium pitch is anyone’s guess, but the likes of Damien Penaud and his teammates worked it into their celebrations even if not all of them had the poise of an Olympic equestrian competitor.
Back in the dressing room the celebrations continued before a night in Cardiff. So, more of the same as anyone whose gone out in the Welsh capital after the rugby will attest to.
“Over the next two, three, or maybe four days, we're going to savour this title first and then we'll have time to get back together,” Bielle-Biarrey said.
“I think we're all competitors, we all have really high goals. But I think that for the next three or four days, we're mainly going to enjoy everything together. Because it's also the first title for this group, for this generation.”
LEARNING THE LESSONS
Bordeaux are second in the Top 14 table, and on course for a place in the playoff semifinals with two rounds of the competition remaining.
Victory in Cardiff banished the demons that have accompanied them after the Top 14 Final.
That day Toulouse ran wild to win 59-3, but Bordeaux enjoyed revenge in the Champions Cup semifinals when they knocked out the reigning champions, and you will get short odds on the teams meeting in the Top 14 Final.
“We’ve been in the finals for four or five years, and we couldn't get past the semifinals until last year,” Bielle-Biarrey said.
“We were defeated in the Top 14 Final. I think the club learned a lot, both the staff and the players. It's really cool to see that we all managed to really recover mentally, because it's true that after the blow we received last year in the Top 14 Final, we didn't think we'd win the Champions Cup this year.”
PATCHING THEM UP
For reigning English champions Northampton Saints, the Champions Cup was their last remaining hope of claiming a trophy after they slipped out of the Gallagher Premiership playoff places.
They have one match left – away to Gloucester on Saturday – and they are likely to be without the likes of George Furbank, James Ramm, and Temo Mayanavanua who went off injured in the final.
It meant Northampton were unable to call on replacements as UBB increased their pressure, and unable to add to their halftime score.
“I want to credit UBB, the performance they had - they were deserved winners,” Northampton Director of Rugby Phil Dowson said. “I’m immensely proud of our boys. There are elements we could’ve done better, but that comes with time.
“Right up until the last five minutes, we were threatening. The semifinal didn’t cost us too much energy, but it did in injuries. Also, credit to UBB, whose kicking game made us work really hard.”