Match Overview
France star Louis Bielle-Biarrey scored twice to finish the competition with 10 tries.
Tries: O'Brien, McCarthy, Ringrose Cons: Byrne, Frawley
Tries: Lucu, Uberti, Bielle-Biarrey 2, Moefana Cons: Lucu 5 Pens: Lucu 2
Bordeaux-Begles secured five first-half tries to retain the Champions Cup title with a commanding victory over Leinster in the final held in Bilbao, extending the Irish side's challenges in European rugby's premier competition.
Despite Leinster winger Tommy O'Brien scoring an early try, Bordeaux's combination of strength and speed prevailed as captain Maxime Lucu and Paolo Uberti crossed the try line to shift the momentum in favor of the French side.
Leinster struggled under continuous pressure from Bordeaux, with Louis Bielle-Biarrey scoring twice to put Bordeaux firmly in control. Yoram Moefana further extended the lead by intercepting a Harry Byrne pass and running in under the posts, establishing a 28-point lead at halftime.
Leinster responded early in the second half with Joe McCarthy scoring after Lucu received a yellow card for pulling McCarthy's hair. Lucu returned to the field to successfully kick two penalties. Although Garry Ringrose scored Leinster's third try, the first-half deficit was too large to overcome.
Bordeaux's victory completed a French double over Irish teams, following Montpellier's decisive Challenge Cup final win over Ulster on the previous Friday.
Historical Context and Significance
This marks Bordeaux's second Champions Cup triumph and France's sixth consecutive victory in the competition, with La Rochelle and Toulouse also having won twice since 2021.
For Leinster, this defeat represents their fifth loss in a Champions Cup final since their last title in 2018. The past four final defeats have all been against French opposition.
Leo Cullen's Leinster side lost narrowly to La Rochelle in 2022 and 2023 and were taken to extra time by Toulouse in 2024, but they were clearly outmatched by Bordeaux in the Bilbao heat.
Team Lineups
Leinster: Keenan; O'Brien, Ringrose, Henshaw, Ioane; Byrne, Gibson-Park; Porter, Sheehan, Clarkson, J McCarthy, Ryan, Conan, Van der Flier, Doris (capt)
Replacements: Kelleher, P McCarthy, Furlong, Mangan, Deegan, McGrath, Frawley, Osborne
Bordeaux-Begles: Rayasi; Uberti, Penaud, Moefana, Bielle-Biarrey; Jalibert, Lucu (capt); Poirot, Lamothe, Sadie, Palu, Coleman, Bochaton, Woki, Gazzotti
Replacements: Barlot, Boniface, Tameifuna, Swinton, Matiu, Vergnes-Taillefer, Retiere, Reus
Sin-bin: Lucu (42), Boniface (74)
Match Officials
Assistant referees: Christophe Ridley (England) and Hollie Davidson (Scotland)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
