Bordeaux-Bègles – Bath
This Sunday, at 4 p.m.
In difficulty in the Top 14, where their qualification for the finals is far from certain, Union Bordeaux-Bègles will play a crucial match this Sunday (4 p.m.) against the English team Bath in the Champions Cup semi-final at the Atlantique Bordeaux Métropole stadium.
The 2025-2026 season for UBB is hard to define: inconsistent in the Top 14, the team has shown an irresistible form in the Champions Cup. It’s unclear whether they have given more priority to this competition (with 8 matches to win a title) compared to the national marathon, where freshness and squad depth often play a key role.
Their struggles in the championship (6th place, ten defeats) highlight their narrow margin. Teams like Pau (2nd), Montpellier (3rd), and Stade França… (4th) have beaten them both home and away, leaving them behind in the standings with just four matches remaining.
A Positive History Against the English
The dream of reaching a third consecutive Top 14 final has taken a hit, especially after their recent loss to Montpellier, but the team remains formidable in the Champions Cup.
Fortunately, UBB’s focus is on the Champions Cup, where they have excelled. Toulouse can attest to their strength, as can English teams like Northampton, Leicester, Exeter, and Bristol, all of whom have been defeated by UBB’s powerful forwards.
But how will Bath, currently 2nd in the Premiership and rejuvenated by the presence of Scottish fly-half Finn Russell, fare against them?
Bath and the Fond Memories of Parc Lescure
This encounter between Bordeaux and Bath, who last met in the Challenge Cup in 2013-2014, promises to be rich in history. UBB is aiming for their second consecutive final appearance in three weeks, while Bath has its own memories to relive.
It was at Parc Lescure (now Chaban-Delmas) that Bath secured their third European Cup victory 28 years ago, marking the first triumph by a British team against Brive in a thrilling game.
This Sunday’s outcome is eagerly anticipated by the Somerset players, who rested many key players last week and will be at full strength, including the captain Ben Spencer. However, UBB’s mental resilience in the Top 14 remains uncertain.
