24-05-2025
What time and TV channel is the Champions Cup final on today?
A first Anglo-French final in five years and, if the occasion doesn't tighten up both sets of players, this one could be an epic match-up to fit the bill.
Northampton's defeat of tournament favourites Leinster and Bordeaux's dismissal of reigning champions Toulouse in the semi-finals make it a first-ever meeting in a final of the sides.
Both are at their best when on the front foot and boast scintillating attacks. Bordeaux have Louis Bielle-Biarrey, the 2025 Six Nations player of the championship, and record scorer Damian Penaud after he recovered in time from injury.
Northampton have 22-year-old England No.10 Finn Smith pulling the strings and Tommy Freeman looking to inflict serious damage of a similar nature to the hat-trick he scored against Leinster at the Aviva Stadium.
The game takes place at the Principality Stadium, Cardiff
The match kicks off at 2.45pm on Saturday
It will be shown live on RTÉ 2 and Premier Sports
Northampton are 12/5 to win, Bordeaux are 4/11 to win, 12/1 draw
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Geo)
Unfortunately there's no room in the Bordeaux matchday squad for Joey Carbery as the Top 14's second placed team opt for a 6:2 bench split and Clareman Noel McNamara flies the Ireland flag in the final as Bordeaux's attack coach.
Northampton Saints: George Furbank; Tommy Freeman, Fraser Dingwall (capt), Rory Hutchinson, James Ramm; Fin Smith, Alex Mitchell; Emmanuel Iyogun, Curtis Langdon, Trevor Davison; Temo Mayanavanua, Tom Lockett; Alex Coles, Josh Kemeny, Henry Pollock.
Replacements: Craig Wright, Tarek Haffar, Elliot Millar Mills, Ed Prowse, Angus Scott-Young, Tom James, Tom Litchfield, Ollie Sleightholme.
Bordeaux Begles: Romain Buros; Damian Penaud, Nicols Depoortère, Yoram Moefana, Louis Bielle-Biarrey; Matthieu Jalibert, Maxime Lucu (capt); Jefferson Poirot, Maxime Lamothe, Sipili Falatea, Adam Coleman, Cyril Cazeaux, Mahamadou Diaby, Guido Petti, Peter Samu.
Replacements: Connor Sa, Ugo Boniface, Ben Tameifuna, Pierre Bochaton, Bastien Vergnes, Marko Gazzotti, Arthur Retiere.
