Champions Cup 24/25 - Saturday, 24 May

[McTallshort]

Loving the Bordeaux fans with the grapes

 

[TommiG88]

How's Penaud not been penalised for jumping into a tackle?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

That's really poor from Smith

 

[Rinkadink]

Congratulations Bordeaux, well played.

Hard luck Saints, can hold your heads high.

Very entertaining match.

 

[TommiG88]

I would say Smith had his worse game in a while, but he was a touch cack against Saracens last week

 

[Reiser99]

Congrats Bordeaux. Shame for Saints, but just a step too far.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I would say Smith had his worse game in a while, but he was a touch cack against Saracens last week

Reckon the lions call took his eye of it

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Congrats UBB - have been very entertaining to watch all campaign

Saints will be asking "What if?" wrt injuries, but still a European campaign to be proud of

 

[McTallshort]

Bit of afters

 

[mkersyshull]

I think the 2 quick injuries in the first 10 rattled Saints and then they just didn't settle after.
UBB probably should've one by more. Saints did well to keep in it, but UBB were the better team.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Big fan of Lucu I feel he is Borthwickd dream 9

 

[ChicagoKid]

Pollock was a passenger outside of a single turnover.

Smith looked like the moment was simple too big. If Im Farrell, Fin is my midweek starter and nothing else.

Mitchell was ace until around 60 minutes. Zero energy after that and it showed.

In reality, UBB butchered about a half-dozen ties and this game could have been 48-20, which matches their season average.

Northampton have a good nucleus of young players, but when the lights shown the brightest, they didn't perform.

 

[McTallshort]

Great game. Think Bordeaux would have put 40 points on Leinster. Saints did them a favour in the end

 

[McTallshort]

Pollock was a passenger outside of a single turnover.

Smith looked like the moment was simple too big. If Im Farrell, Fin is my midweek starter and nothing else.

Mitchell was ace until around 60 minutes. Zero energy after that and it showed.

In reality, UBB butchered about a half-dozen ties and this game could have been 48-20, which matches their season average.

Northampton have a good nucleus of young players, but when the lights shown the brightest, they didn't perform.

Don't think Freeman and Coles had a good game then?

 

[TommiG88]

Pollock was a passenger outside of a single turnover.

Smith looked like the moment was simple too big. If Im Farrell, Fin is my midweek starter and nothing else.

Mitchell was ace until around 60 minutes. Zero energy after that and it showed.

In reality, UBB butchered about a half-dozen ties and this game could have been 48-20, which matches their season average.

Northampton have a good nucleus of young players, but when the lights shown the brightest, they didn't perform.

Agree with most apart the last bit. Kinda feel you rarely watch Saints play as there was a fair few players missing through injury so a few players from the fringes of the squad involved

 

[ChicagoKid]

Don't think Freeman and Coles had a good game then?

I wouldn't consider either of them young players. Both are mid 20s and have been playing international rugby since 2022.

Freeman was good but not his stratospheric heights. Coles was Northhampton's best forward by a wide margin.

 

[ChicagoKid]

Agree with most apart the last bit. Kinda feel you rarely watch Saints play as there was a fair few players missing through injury so a few players from the fringes of the squad involved

Well of course I don't watch the Saints religiously. But injuries are part of the sport. You can only judge the performance of the day. Penaud is coming back from injury and performed much better than any of the Saints back line.

 

[BrokenWing]

Penaud is coming back from injury and performed much better than any of the Saints back line.

Could be, like, because he's better?

Arguably the best winger in the world performed better than the Saints back line, two of which went off injured after a few minutes.

 

[ChicagoKid]

Could be, like, because he's better?

Yes he is better. But we have people already referencing injuries being a factor for Northampton. They are a factor for every team.

The big loss was Augustus. They needed a heavy carrier.

This is a good Saints team but not great. The better side won.

 

[IT157]

The last non French team to win the Champions Cup was Exeter...