Bordeaux-Begles defeats Toulouse 35-18, reaches Champions Cup final

Bordeaux-Begles defeated reigning champions Toulouse 35-18 in a thrilling all-French semi-final to secure their first-ever spot in the Champions Cup final, where they will face Northampton in Cardiff. The victory was inspired by France star Louis Bielle-Biarrey, who scored two spectacular tries, including one just 19 seconds into the second half, and showcased the attacking flair that made him the Six Nations Player of the Tournament. Bordeaux established an early lead with a Pete Samu try, but Toulouse responded through scores from Dimitri Delibes and Pierre-Louis Barassi. Despite missing key players like Antoine Dupont, Thomas Ramos, and Blair Kinghorn, Toulouse briefly edged ahead before Bordeaux pulled away with late tries from Pierre Bochaton and Ben Tameifuna. The match was marked by a high tempo and intense atmosphere, cementing Bordeaux's rise after previous near-misses and avenging last year’s heavy Top 14 final defeat to Toulouse. Both Bordeaux and Northampton reached the final by upsetting favored opponents, setting up an unexpected but eagerly anticipated showdown on May 24.