Bordeaux-Bègles Clinches First Champions Cup Title Against Northampton
Historic victory marks Bordeaux-Bègles' first European title with a commanding performance in Cardiff.
Bordeaux-Bègles has secured its first Champions Cup title, defeating Northampton Saints 28-20 in a closely contested final held at Principality Stadium in Cardiff on May 24, 2025. The match underscored the French club's return to form after a disappointing defeat in the previous year's Top 14 final.
With an impressive attack led by the dynamic half-back pairing of Maxime Lucu and Matthieu Jalibert, Bordeaux-Bègles dominated the match with four tries, including a standout performance from winger Damian Penaud, who scored twice, bringing his season total to a record 14 tries in a single Champions Cup edition.
Penaud expressed his elation post-match, saying, "It's an immense joy.
After last year's setback, we knew we never wanted to experience that feeling again."
Bordeaux-Bègles continued the recent trend of French clubs prevailing in the Champions Cup, marking the fifth consecutive title claimed by a Top 14 team, following victories by Toulouse (2021, 2024) and La Rochelle (2022, 2023).
The team reached the final after a strong semi-final performance against the reigning champions Toulouse, and they maintained their composure throughout their first continental final.
They initially faced a challenge when Northampton’s Chris Coles scored an early try, leveraging their momentum from defeating Leinster in the semi-finals.
Despite the early setback, Bordeaux-Bègles effectively controlled the match, with Northampton struggling to maintain its composure amid injuries to key players such as winger James Ramm and fullback George Furbank.
The Saints had some success, leveling the score at halftime with Coles' second try (40+1), but fatigue set in during the second half.
Bordeaux-Bègles responded decisively to a yellow card issued to Northampton’s Tom Prowse for a dangerous tackle early in the second half.
Lucu kicked a penalty to regain the lead (45'), followed by a powerful try from Cyril Cazeaux (55'), establishing a comfortable advantage at 28-20.
The final stages of the match saw both teams displaying uncharacteristic errors, yet Bordeaux-Bègles successfully defended against Northampton's attempts to close the gap, ultimately securing their first Champions Cup title.
With an impressive attack led by the dynamic half-back pairing of Maxime Lucu and Matthieu Jalibert, Bordeaux-Bègles dominated the match with four tries, including a standout performance from winger Damian Penaud, who scored twice, bringing his season total to a record 14 tries in a single Champions Cup edition.
Penaud expressed his elation post-match, saying, "It's an immense joy.
After last year's setback, we knew we never wanted to experience that feeling again."
Bordeaux-Bègles continued the recent trend of French clubs prevailing in the Champions Cup, marking the fifth consecutive title claimed by a Top 14 team, following victories by Toulouse (2021, 2024) and La Rochelle (2022, 2023).
The team reached the final after a strong semi-final performance against the reigning champions Toulouse, and they maintained their composure throughout their first continental final.
They initially faced a challenge when Northampton’s Chris Coles scored an early try, leveraging their momentum from defeating Leinster in the semi-finals.
Despite the early setback, Bordeaux-Bègles effectively controlled the match, with Northampton struggling to maintain its composure amid injuries to key players such as winger James Ramm and fullback George Furbank.
The Saints had some success, leveling the score at halftime with Coles' second try (40+1), but fatigue set in during the second half.
Bordeaux-Bègles responded decisively to a yellow card issued to Northampton’s Tom Prowse for a dangerous tackle early in the second half.
Lucu kicked a penalty to regain the lead (45'), followed by a powerful try from Cyril Cazeaux (55'), establishing a comfortable advantage at 28-20.
The final stages of the match saw both teams displaying uncharacteristic errors, yet Bordeaux-Bègles successfully defended against Northampton's attempts to close the gap, ultimately securing their first Champions Cup title.
