Bordeaux-Bègles Defeats Toulouse 35-18, Advances to Champions Cup Final

Union Bordeaux-Bègles delivered a dominant performance to defeat defending champions Toulouse 35-18 in the Champions Cup semifinal, ending Toulouse's two-year unbeaten run in the competition. Bordeaux's victory was powered by tries from Pete Samu, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Pierre Bochaton, and Ben Tameifuna, along with accurate kicking from Maxime Lucu and Matthieu Jalibert. Toulouse, hampered by injuries to key players, managed tries from Dimitri Delibes and Pierre-Louis Barassi but could not match Bordeaux's attacking flair. The win marked Bordeaux's first-ever qualification for the Champions Cup final, where they will face Northampton Saints at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium. Bordeaux's dynamic halfback pairing and opportunistic play under pressure proved decisive, and the team overcame memories of previous defeats to Toulouse with this emphatic victory. The match also featured standout performances and crucial momentum shifts, particularly in the opening and early second-half exchanges.