Top 14: Regained Momentum or Another Misfire? UBB's Final Rehearsal Before the Grand Final

A failure on the road to Cardiff. With a largely shaken-up team, Union Bordeaux-Bègles sank last weekend on the pitch at Montpellier (46-27). "We knew we had a revamped team but we wanted to do well. But with the start we made to the match, there's no question, nothing is working, we're behind everywhere, we're very far from the level needed to worry this kind of team. It didn't go as planned," lamented Christophe Laussucq , the Bordeaux defense coach, to our colleagues at Sud Ouest .

Yannick Bru , after the great victory against Toulouse in the semi-final of the Champions Cup , had announced it: no starter would be renewed against the MHR, only the center Nicolas Depoortere being kept on the substitutes' bench in Hérault. A logical choice but ultimately not paying off. In a final sprint neck and neck with Toulon, the Bordeaux team did not take advantage of the RCT's misstep (swept the day before by... Toulouse) to widen the gap and take second place more widely. "It's frustrating not to make the break with Toulon, we know how difficult it is, there are very few games left, regretted Depoortere. It won't be easy to get a victory there (on June 1st during the 25th day, editor's note). We're making the end of the season a little more complicated for ourselves in the Top 14."

I don't think we can give any lessons about final preparations.

Louis Bielle-Biarrey

More problematic, the players (re)launched in Montpellier missed an opportunity to put themselves forward, unlike the successes gleaned in Vannes , Castres or Pau with teams already reshuffled. And Christophe Laussucq asserted: "I am not in the head of all the players, but those present today (Sunday) did not necessarily score points. Our first team is not made (for the Champions Cup final). On the bench, there are still uncertainties, there are players in recovery. They had the opportunity to put more doubt in us even if we are not going to condemn anyone..."

The reception of Castres - on a mission after the tragic disappearance of Josaia Raisuqe - will provide, Saturday early afternoon (2:30 p.m.), the opportunity to rectify the situation. To best prepare for the Champions Cup final against the English team of Northampton . Or to seriously complicate the schmilblick... UBB, which could win its first title of the modern era, has indeed a date in a week with its history. "Positive" point of the trip to Montpellier: Bordeaux-Bègles did not bring back any injured players. But this fear of a mishap at the worst moment could be very present against CO. The UBB staff - which remains on two defeats in a row in Top 14 after the one conceded at Chaban against La Rochelle (10-21) - will have to prepare as best as possible for this first European final.

Also read: “This is a further step in our construction”: how the Bordeaux-Bègles Union is writing its history in fast motion

After the victory over Stade Toulousain in the semi-final, Louis Bielle-Biarrey had stated that "we must remain ourselves, focused and serious because everyone will be very keen to play in this final." The French XV winger had nevertheless warned: "We must tell ourselves that it will be a very, very tough match. Given the last final we played ( a 59-3 rout against Toulouse , editor's note), I don't think we can give any lessons in terms of preparing for finals." Playing on both sides, a subtle exercise that the Girondins are learning in fast forward. This is confirmed by Nicolas Depoortere: " We discover, we learn. It's hard to manage both sides..."