European Rugby Champions Cup Final: Northampton Saints to Overcome Union Bordeaux
It all comes down to Saturday at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff as Northampton Saints and Union Bordeaux prepare to do battle in the European Rugby Champions Cup final.
These teams have dazzled with their attacking rugby this season, and either one would be deserved champions in the Welsh capital this weekend.
However, there can be only one winner, and perhaps there is just enough about this Northampton side to suggest the trophy won’t be heading back across the Channel but to the rugby union hotbed of the East Midlands.
Tip 1 - Northampton Saints to win in regular time @ 9/4
Northampton boss Phil Dowson helped mastermind one of the great upsets in European Rugby Champions Cup history in the semi-finals, as his side stunned Leinster at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
Facing a Leinster side brimming with Ireland internationals, Northampton went to the Aviva without any trepidation and produced their performance of the season so far to defeat Leinster 37-34.
Few expected Saints to get the better of this star-studded Leinster team in Dublin, and Northampton again find themselves as underdogs going into Saturday’s final against Bordeaux.
While this is a Bordeaux side that exudes attacking brilliance, with France star Louis Bielle-Biarrey arguably the best winger in the world right now, this side has been inconsistent on their travels.
Losing three of their last five away games in all competitions, it’s hard to know which Bordeaux side will show up at the Principality Stadium this weekend.
With Northampton boasting its own stars, including the newly named British & Irish Lions quartet of Henry Pollock, Alex Mitchell, Fin Smith, and Tommy Freeman, the Saints can cause another upset in Cardiff on Saturday.
Tip 2 - First team to reach 20 points - Northampton Saints @ 43/20
What proved to be absolutely key to Northampton’s impressive victory in Dublin was their blistering start against Leinster, with a tone-setting first half that laid the foundation for their triumph at the Aviva.
Much of the pre-match narrative had centred around how Saints would struggle physically against a powerful and experienced Irish pack. Many expected them to be overwhelmed up front by Leo Cullen’s side but Northampton weren’t interested in the script. Instead, they played with confidence, aggression and a refreshing sense of freedom, as they refused to be intimidated by the occasion or the opposition.
They came flying out of the traps, striking early through a try from England international Freeman, and kept their foot on the gas from there.
The Saints racked up 27 points in the first half alone with a stunning display of attacking intent and execution that not only stunned Leinster but reinforced a broader pattern we’ve seen from Dowson’s side in Europe this season.
In their quarter-final against Castres, Northampton put 20 points on the board in the opening 40 minutes.
Before that, in their last-16 clash with Clermont, they again notched 27 first-half points. It’s become something of a calling card for this side with fast starts and scoreboard pressure that forces opponents to play catch-up.
That kind of early momentum could be especially valuable against Bordeaux, who are preparing for their first-ever European Rugby Champions Cup final.
With the French side potentially carrying some nerves into the big occasion in Cardiff, Saints look well-positioned to exploit any early hesitancy, and there’s every reason to believe they’ll come out firing once again to win the race to 20 points.
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to fluctuation