Bordeaux-Bègles crowned European champion, the triumph of a mature team

He had good reason to be worried. Before the match, Jamie, wearing a green and black jersey with yellow Saints stripes on his back, was worried about the Bordeaux wingers' attacking brilliance. "Who's going to win? Northampton of course, I have to say it," the solid Englishman admitted, with measured confidence, at the foot of the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff (United Kingdom). His fears were well-founded. In the cathedral of rugby in the heart of the Welsh capital, Union Bordeaux-Bègles (UBB) defeated Northampton on Saturday, May 24, in the Champions Cup final (28-20), and won the first title in its history.

The matchup between two of the competition's best attacks was promising. It didn't disappoint, at least not during a fast-paced first half. England took the first shot, in the second minute through second row Alex Coles, to which the inevitable Damian Penaud responded moments later. Three more goals followed in the first half: two for Bordeaux-Béglais, one for England, at the buzzer, to bring the two teams level at halftime (20-20), the Palme d'Or for best scenario.

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